How to Improve the Efficiency, Capacity, Reliability and Resilience
of the Electric Power Grid with ACCC® Conductor
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ACCC® News - September 2021
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CTC Global is Your #1 Conductor Solution Provider
Founded in 2002 as Composite Technology Corporation, CTC Global earned its way into the number one solution provider position of composite core conductors in the world. Working closely with our premier manufacturing partners, CTC Global has successfully completed more advanced conductor installations than all of our composite core conductor competitors, combined.
Though we don’t make cables, automotive or building wire, we do offer the most advanced overhead conductor solutions on the market today and will continue to work to raise the technical and performance bar and help solve our customer’s greatest challenges.
In 2015 and 2018 we added two new conductor designs to the ACCC® product line that included the higher-strength, higher-modulus ACCC® ULS core (increasing tensile strength from 320 ksi to 375 ksi) and the AZR (aluminum zirconium alloy) to reduce extreme ice load sag.
Not only has CTC Global been recognized as the lowest cost provider for increasing capacity and reducing sag on existing transmission lines, we are also taking a leading role in improving the overall efficiency, reliability and resilience of the world’s electric power grid – and we can showcase more than 1,000 projects that prove it.
The ACCC® Conductor’s superior performance, proven reliability and ability to reduce line losses by ~30% has made it the conductor of choice for more than 250 utilities in 60 countries. The ACCC® Conductor, in fact, is so efficient that many multilateral banks are specifying its attributes – not only to deliver power more affordably and reliably to support economic development – but also because its improved efficiency is helping these entities reach their sustainability goals and decarbonize the grid.
If you have questions, please feel free to reach out. We are here to support you. Please contact: info@ctcglobal.com
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ACCC InfoCore™ System - Confidence Verified
Experienced utilities know that in spite of the best planning and project implementation, problems do occur from time to time. As it relates to conductor installation, conductors can bind due to reel holder alignment or brake control problems, sheave wheel or sock failures, or other handling mishaps that can potentially damage any type of conductor.
To help make sure their ACCC® Installation was completed without issues – seen or unseen – CTC Global developed and commercialized the ACCC InfoCore™ System. The System uses optical fibers embedded in the ACCC® Conductor’s composite core that allow proprietary light signals to verify that the composite core is free of any damage.
The ACCC InfoCore™ System uses a transmitter, receiver, control pad, and other devices used to prepare the conductor for verification. All required components are contained in a durable light-weight case that can be deployed to any jobsite. Linemen can be trained in under thirty minutes and the procedure performed in half that time. For more information, please email info@ctcglobal.com
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The ACCC® Conductor is Tough Stuff
Though carbon fiber composites do not plastically deform or yield like metal - and do have bending limitations - the ACCC® Conductor was designed to be tough and elastic to make installations easy and safe and have outstanding performance over the conductor's anticipated service of 40+ years.
Part of the secret is the fact that the ACCC® Conductor's carbon fiber core is surrounded by a robust layer of glass fibers that improve flexibility and toughness and also provides a robust galvanic barrier to ensure outstanding corrosion resistance. This is not simply a coating that could wear out due to vibration over time, its an integrated and proven solution that works in the most extreme environmental conditions.
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These images reflect bending tests and successive die penetrant tests that confirm no damage occurred after being bent beyond recommended limits. While smaller diameter composite cores can be bent around smaller diameter sheaves, smaller 'multi-strand' cores are more susceptible to damage and environmental degradation. |
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ACCC® Conductor Selected for 138 kV Reconductor Project in the United States
As demand for electricity continues to grow, transmission engineers are often faced with numerous challenges. Building new lines requires a tremendous effort securing new right-of-ways, permits, equipment, personnel, funding and more. Upgrading existing transmission lines generally requires replacing existing structures with larger, more expensive structures and larger, heavier conductors. While this option alleviates the need to secure new right-of-ways, removal of the existing structures generally has substantial environmental impact, is very costly and requires relatively long outages - that are often difficult to accommodate.
In the United States, and more than 60 other countries, many utilities have discovered that reconductoring with the ACCC® Conductor allows them to quickly increase the capacity of the existing system without the need to replace or reinforce existing structures. This not only simplifies the permitting process and reduces environmental impact, it also reduces the length of outages - with little revenue loss.
While the goal of increasing capacity is quickly achieved, second tier benefits also include sag reduction which can improve safety, reduce wildfire risks and outages. Additionally, as another U.S. utility recently discovered, the ACCC® Conductor's improved efficiency is saving their customers nearly one million dollars every year as a result of decreased line losses. If this is something that interests you, please visit www.ctcglobal.com or email info@ctcglobal.com
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ACCC® Conductor is currently reducing CO2 emissions by over 3.5 million metric tons every year - the equivalent of removing over 750,000 cars from the road
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ACCC® ULS Conductor Offers Added Strength and Reduced Sag
First deployed on a 1.4 kilometer lake crossing in Africa in 2013, The ACCC® ULS Conductor offers greater strength, a lower coefficient of thermal expansion and higher modulus of elasticity than the standard ACCC Conductor core. The added strength and lighter weight can enable longer spans and the higher modulus and increased stiffness reduces sag and blow out during high wind conditions. Improved stiffness can also reduce sag under heavy ice load conditions.
Dozens of engineers have specified ACCC® ULS Conductor for projects, worldwide, and the ULS version of the ACCC® Conductor has served our clients well. The ACCC® ULS Conductor is available in many sizes and offers transmission engineers added design flexibility.
The ACCC® ULS Conductor can be ordered with Type 1350-O fully annealed aluminum or as an AZR version with Aluminum-Zirconium thermal resistant alloy for even higher overall conductor strength.
The photograph below shows a 1.6 km (~1 mile) river crossing in Mozambique completed by Bouygues. Watch Installation Video
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ACCC AZR Conductor – Expanding the Capabilities of the ACCC® Conductor Using Aluminum Zirconium Alloy to Combat Extreme Ice Loads
ACCC® AZR Conductor uses either the standard 310 ksi core or the higher strength 375 ksi core that is then wrapped with one or more layers of a high strength, thermal resistant aluminum-zirconium alloy. While conventional ACCC Conductors typically use fully annealed aluminum to maximize conductivity, the ACCC AZR Conductor offers nearly the same efficiency, but far greater overall strength. The added strength and increased tensile modulus mitigates conductor sag under heavy wind or ice loads, or very long spans. To learn more visit www.ctcglobal.com
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CTC Global's Free Conductor Comparison Program CCP™ Software is Available Online
CTC Global is pleased to announce that our highly regarded Conductor Comparison Program (CCP™) software is now available online. The new web-based version has all the features found in the Excel version, which has been replaced and will no longer be supported. The new version is designed to make it easier to use, and it also has some new features. Having CCP online will make it easier to keep it up-to-date with new wire files and other data, and to add improvements as they are made. Users will always know they have the current version every time they log in. CCP is also compatible with tablets.
Registration to use CCP requires only a valid email address and password. Users may also use CCP as a guest however, saving and export features are only available to registered users.
Thank you for using our CCP. We welcome your feedback. For technical support, please contact ccphelp@ctcglobal.com
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Looking for ACCC® Conductor Hardware?
Check out our Supplier Parts Database
CTC Global added a new Hardware Supplier Parts Database to our website. The database will help you find all of the hardware components you need to install ACCC® Conductor. The database shows which hardware manufacturers offer the parts you might need in your particular region while offering many options.
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CTC Global proudly works with top-tier manufacturing partners worldwide |
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ACCC® Conductor is an internationally patented and trademark registered product of CTC Global Corporation. The ACCC Conductor is manufactured in association with 35 qualified and licensed international stranding partners. If you are interested in the ACCC Conductor, please contact CTC Global to make sure your supplier is authorized to produce and deliver ACCC Conductor in your area. Thank You.
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CTC Global, Inc. 2026 McGaw Avenue Irvine,
CA 92614 Phone: +1 949.428.8500
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