SunZia

Hitachi Energy is selected by renewable energy company Pattern Energy to supply its high-voltage direct current (HVDC) technology for the SunZia Transmission Project, which will connect wind farms in New Mexico to the power grid in Arizona and southern California.

Hitachi Energy’s HVDC Light^® technology and MACH^™ digital control platform will enable the efficient transfer of huge volumes of renewable wind power over a distance of 885 km for integration into the regional power grid. This project will significantly increase the availability of sustainable energy for homes and businesses throughout the region.

The HVDC link will provide the Southwest with 3,000 MW of clean, renewable power and it will be the largest voltage source converter (VSC) installation in the United States and one of the largest worldwide. The HVDC Light® technology will ensure and safeguard the reliable and efficient transmission of electricity over this long-distance link, resulting in minimal losses and maximum power quality.

The SunZia transmission project is a ±525 kV bipolar HVDC link between Corona, New Mexico, and Pinal County, Arizona. Hitachi Energy has already started work on the design and engineering of the two HVDC Light^® converter stations, one at either end of the link. The HVDC Light^® station in New Mexico converts the power from AC to DC for transport in the overhead lines, then back to AC at the HVDC Light^® station in Arizona for integration into the receiving grid. 

Hitachi Energy pioneered commercial HVDC technology almost 70 years ago and has delivered more than half of the HVDC projects in the world. These include the Pacific Intertie transmission system which transfers electricity from the Pacific Northwest to Los Angeles, the Quebec-New England link which was the first large-scale multi-terminal HVDC transmission system in the world, and the Maritime link which was the first voltage source converter project in Canada and connects the Islands of Newfoundland and Nova Scotia, supporting the integration of renewable energy sources and improving grid stability.