NYSEG and RG&E Demonstrate Ability to Add Renewable Energy onto Grid with Flexible Interconnections
Active network management automates curtailment by leveraging Dynamic Hosting Capacity
Allows Utilities to host more renewable energy with fewer costly grid upgrades
BINGHAMTON, N.Y — August 27, 2024 — New York State Electric & Gas (NYSEG) and Rochester Gas and Electric (RG&E), subsidiaries of Avangrid, have demonstrated a new flexible interconnection technology that will help interconnect renewable resources, like solar, into their grid efficiently and without costly upgrades to substations and transmission lines. Results from the Flexible Interconnection Capacity Solution, a demonstration pilot, were reported to the New York State Public Service Commission earlier this year.
“This dynamic hosting capacity will allow NYSEG and RG&E to increase the capacity for renewable, green energy via a technical solution rather than physical upgrades to infrastructure,” said Rita King, senior director of Smart Grids Innovation for Avangrid. “It provides automated feedback from the constrained point on the grid to a centralized control system to limit the output of the resource as needed.”
The Companies conducted the demonstration projects at one substation in Champlain, NY, in NYSEG’s Plattsburgh division and another in Ogden, NY, in RG&E’s Central division. The solution is being explored for larger scale implementation. Capacity is a challenge for utilities across the state and the nation, as the demand for electrification and green technologies increases. Innovative solutions to increasing the capacity for renewable resources delivered via existing infrastructure are key to unlocking the green energy future.
The demonstration proved that this automated control system could protect the grid when it’s near a constraint threshold, allowing for increased utilization of existing infrastructure. While upgrading physical substations and transmission lines is still essential to increasing renewables adoption, solutions like this one give the Companies greater flexibility in delivering this renewable energy to customers.
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About NYSEG: New York State Electric & Gas Corporation (NYSEG) is a subsidiary of Avangrid, Inc. Established in 1852, NYSEG operates approximately 35,000 miles of electric distribution lines and 4,500 miles of electric transmission lines across more than 40% of upstate New York. It also operates more than 8,150 miles of natural gas distribution pipelines and 20 miles of gas transmission pipelines. It serves approximately 894,000 electricity customers and 266,000 natural gas customers. For more information, visit www.nyseg.com.
About RG&E: Rochester Gas and Electric Corporation (RG&E) is a subsidiary of Avangrid, Inc. Established in 1848, RG&E operates approximately 8,800 miles of electric distribution lines and 1,100 miles of electric transmission lines. It also operates approximately 10,600 miles of natural gas distribution pipelines and 105 miles of gas transmission pipelines. It serves approximately 378,500 electricity customers and 313,000 natural gas customers in a nine-county region in New York surrounding the City of Rochester. For more information, visit www.rge.com.
About Avangrid: Avangrid, Inc. (NYSE: AGR) aspires to be the leading sustainable energy company in the United States. Headquartered in Orange, CT with approximately $46 billion in assets and operations in 24 U.S. states, Avangrid has two primary lines of business: networks and renewables. Through its networks business, Avangrid owns and operates eight electric and natural gas utilities, serving more than 3.3 million customers in New York and New England. Through its renewables business, Avangrid owns and operates a portfolio of renewable energy generation facilities across the United States. Avangrid employs approximately 8,000 people and has been recognized by JUST Capital as one of the JUST 100 companies – a ranking of America’s best corporate citizens – in 2024 for the fourth consecutive year. In 2024, Avangrid ranked first among utilities and 12 overall. The company supports the U.N.’s Sustainable Development Goals and was named among the World’s Most Ethical Companies in 2024 for the sixth consecutive year by the Ethisphere Institute. Avangrid is a member of the group of companies controlled by Iberdrola, S.A. For more information, visit www.avangrid.com.