Superconducting magnetic energy storage for BPA transmission line stabilization

The Bonneville Power Administration (BPA) operates the electrical transmission system that joins the Pacific Northwest with southern California. A 30 MJ (8.4 kWh) Superconducting Magnetic Energy Storage (SMES) unit with a 10 MW converter is being installed at the Tacoma Substation to provide system damping for low frequency oscillations of 0.35 Hz. The integrated system status is described and reviewed. Components included in the system are the superconducting coil, seismically mounted in an epoxy fiberglass nonconducting dewar; a helium refrigerator; a heat rejection subsystem; a high pressure gas recovery subsystem; a liquid nitrogen trailer; the converter with power transformers and switchgear; and a computer system for remote microwave link operation of the SMES unit.