HTS drives the road to commercialization

摘要

Solutions to avoid reoccurring blackouts and energy shortages have typically focused on the need for generating more power. Ironically, with the increase in construction of new power plants over the last decade we now have a surplus of power, yet the energy shortages and blackouts persist. To effectively resolve this issue we need to finally recognize that the main cause of the problem is our inability to get energy where it needs to go. While we have enough generated capacity to meet our country's needs, we're lacking the proper infrastructure and technology to effectively distribute and transmit electricity to users. According to a recent FERC report, energy bottlenecks in the transmission system have cost consumers more than $1 billion in the past couple of summers, and the agency is supporting investments to improve the grid. The Commission believes that the resulting lower energy costs would pay for the cost of improving the transmission and distribution system within a few years. John Rowe, co-CEO of Exelon Corporation, testifying before the US Senate's Committee on Energy and Natural Resources said that maintaining the adequacy of our transmission grid at current levels would require a $56 billion investment during the present decade.