Smart Wires Announces Delivery of Second Project with ISA TRANSELCA to Accelerate Connection of Renewable Energy
Smart Wires announced the successful delivery of a second large-scale project with ISA TRANSELCA in the Atlántico region of Colombia. This latest deployment installs Smart Wires’ advanced power flow control (APFC) solution—SmartValve—across five 220 kV circuits, unlocking over 300 MW of additional transmission capacity in 2024. The project supports the firm connection of renewable energy sources that are being built in the area.
The Atlántico region is set to experience substantial growth in electricity demand, with 1.5 GW of wind and solar generation already approved for connection. This is significantly increasing power flows on transmission circuits in the area and was predicted to cause overloads on multiple circuits, especially in contingency scenarios (N-1).
ISA TRANSELCA proposed deploying SmartValves to resolve congestion on five 220 kV circuits. The national planning agency, UPME, selected Smart Wires’ APFC solution as the preferred option and included it in the national expansion plan.
SmartValve is an advanced power flow control (APFC) solution that quickly solves grid bottlenecks and other grid issues to create
extra capacity and support optimized use of the existing grid. It is a patented, award-winning, single-phase, modular Static Synchronous Series Compensator (m-SSSC) that injects a voltage in quadrature with the line current to synthesize a capacitive (- Ωs) or inductive (+ Ωs) reactance. This means it can push power off overloaded lines or pull power onto underutilized lines.
SmartValve provided a faster lead time and avoided lengthy permitting and disruption to communities associated with alternative network options. Its modular nature also provides ISA TRANSELCA with the flexibility to adapt the solution over time as system needs evolve.
By deploying SmartValves across five circuits at two sites to push power off overloaded circuits and onto circuits with spare capacity, ISA TRANSELCA can unlock over 300 MW of extra capacity on the existing grid to support the connection of new renewable energy generation and improve the utilization of capacity on new infrastructure in the area.
“Our collaboration with ISA TRANSELCA exemplifies how strategic investments in APFC can optimize grid capabilities and expedite the adoption of renewable energy,” said Joaquin Peirano, General Manager for the Americas at Smart Wires. “Following the successful completion of the CO-COST project last year, this new project leverages our partnership to bring reliable, scalable solutions to address the challenges of modern energy distribution.”
As part of the project the SmartValves at the Nueva Barranquilla substation are uniquely housed indoors to provide a durable solution in a highly corrosive environment caused by proximity to heavy industry and the sea. This indoor deployment is made possible due to the flexibility of SmartValve, which means that the layout can be optimized for the space available.
Smart Wires has been active in Colombia for the past five years, starting with a pilot project with Empresas Públicas de Medellín (EPM) in 2021 and followed by multiple large-scale projects with EPM, Enlaza-GEB, and ISA TRANSELCA. These projects have already helped unlock over 1.2 GW of firm transmission capacity, improving access to clean, reliable, affordable electricity for consumers across Colombia.
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