€180 million cable contract

(PTD) has been awarded a contract by

(RTS) in Fairfield, Connecticut, to construct a high-voltage direct-current (HVDC) transmission link between Sayreville, New Jersey and Long Island, New York.

The private investor group will make the electrical connection available to regional power utility Long Island Power Authority (LIPA). The project will be implemented by a consortium of Siemens and Pirelli Energy Cables and Systems. The total contract value is about €350 million, with roughly €180 million going to Siemens. The system is to begin operation in mid-2007.

In the future, the power utility LIPA will use the HVDC connection between New Jersey and Long Island to cover the increased demand for power, especially in the summer months.

Siemens is supplying and installing the complete HVDC technology as well as the communication and control equipment. Siemens is also responsible for constructing the valve halls and operations building. The consortium partner Pirelli will supply and lay a total of 105km of submarine and subterranean cable.

According to Siemens, HVDC transmission systems allow quick regulation of load flows, contributing to the stability of the connected networks and limiting the effects of disturbances such as blackouts.