Reasons why utilities are switching to high performance overhead conductors

1. 5 reasons utilities are switching to high-performance overhead conductors www.ctcglobal.com April 2020

2. Introduction CTC Global is an ACCC conductor manufacturing company that was founded to develop, certify and deploy advanced technologies to improve the efficiency, capacity, reliability and resiliency of the electric power grid. Our primary product is high-capacity, low-sag CTC Global ACCC Conductor solutions. www.ctcglobal.com

3. Top 5 reason for using overhead conductors • Mitigate Sag Violation • Improve Grid Reliability And Resilience  • Increase Line Capacity • Improve Grid Efficiency  • Environmental Attributes  www.ctcglobal.com

4. A Mitigate Sag Violations After discovering several transmission lines that violated clearance limits, NERC and FERC made it clear utilities needed to inspect their transmission lines and develop a plan to mitigate excessive conductor sag.  A number of options were and are being considered which include re-tensioning, raising, modifying or replacing existing structures, derating or installing high-capacity, low-sag conductors such as ACCR, C7 or ACCC® Conductor. In many cases, high-temperature, low-sag "HTLS" conductors such as ACSS were also considered, but because their sag characteristics were similar to ACSR (both of which use conventional steel cores) they were ruled out as viable solutions. www.ctcglobal.com

5. Improve Grid Reliability & Resilience The need to improve grid reliability and resilience has become even more clear by increasingly frequent and more severe weather events. High-performance conductors are also enabling grid operators to reroute power around areas where lines are being serviced or in areas where the threat of fires or other events is anticipated, because they can carry more current – without exhibiting excessive thermal sag. www.ctcglobal.com

6. Increase Line Capacity Increasing line capacity is extremely important for the N-conditions described above. The difficulties we continue to face as it relates to building new transmission lines makes it ever more appealing to find ways to increase the capacity of existing transmission lines. High-performance conductors – supplemented by substation upgrades – can generally help double the capacity of existing lines.  www.ctcglobal.com

7. Improve Grid Efficiency In spite of our nation's low D+ grid rating (as reported by the American Society of Civil Engineers in 2012 and 2017), few transmission engineers give transmission efficiency much thought, because line losses are relatively low in the U.S. and the recognized costs of losses are simply passed on to the consumer. However, when AEP upgraded their two circuits in Texas, not only did they increase line capacity to accommodate load growth, they also reduced line losses by a surprising 30 percent. Even with a relatively low "load factor," line loss reductions were estimated to save 300,000 MWh per year. At $50.00 / MW, that's $15,000,000 per year or $450,000,000 over 30 years (a simplified view). www.ctcglobal.com

8. Environmental Attributes As mentioned above, the ACCC Conductor's ability to reduce line losses can translate into reduced fuel consumption and reduced emissions, or at the very least - enable an increase in clean energy delivery. While these may seem like second or third tier benefits, consider that many states have established CO2 reduction initiatives and that policy makers, regulators and governors consider these 'high-value' topics.  Green Bond Financing is also gaining momentum here in the U.S. www.ctcglobal.com

9. Contact Us  Website:www.ctcglobal.com Phone: +1 949 428 8500 Fax: +1 949 428 8515 Email: info@ctcglobal.com Thank You