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National Grid Partners

Reaching net zero carbon emissions by 2050 will require more renewable energy and increased electrification to replace fossil fuels. That means National Grid, and utilities worldwide, need to dramatically increase the electric grid's capacity. Building new transmission lines can take up to a decade, so it's also key to make existing energy infrastructure more efficient and resilient.

Building a More Powerful, More Resilient Electrical Grid with TS Conductor

Enter TS Conductor, a Southern California company whose advanced conductors dramatically improve power line capacity without the need for new infrastructure. The startup’s technology features a unique combination of a pretensioned carbon composite surrounded by protective aluminum. This super-light composite is twice as strong as the steel core in traditional conductors, which means it can carry three times the electricity of existing lines.

The design also enables quicker and cheaper installation compared with first-generation conductors, because it doesn’t require special training or equipment to install.

What’s the Story?

“The older generation of advanced conductors was difficult to work with and easy to break. With our design, linemen can bend it and use all the same tools, without breaking the composite core.”

For Pradeep Tagare, Head of Investments at National Grid Partners, the value proposition of TS Conductor was immediately apparent.

“After meeting with Jason and his team, it was clear this technology would be a huge deal from a grid capacity perspective, not only for National Grid but for the entire industry,” Tagare said.  National Grid Partners, the investment and innovation arm of National Grid, invested in TS Conductor in 2021.

Replacing legacy conductors on existing towers offers a relatively quick and inexpensive way for utilities to carry more power on their networks. But TS Conductor’s design has benefits for new infrastructure builds, too.

The lightweight design means electrical cables can be suspended across greater distances without sagging, enabling utilities to construct shorter transmission towers and space them farther apart. That not only saves utility customers money, but it also reduces the impact of new towers on local communities and the environment.

TS Conductor recently completed the rigorous type registration process required for vendors to bid on projects across the National Grid Electric Transmission (NGET) network. Companies and their products are scrutinized and tested to ensure they meet or exceed NGET’s required engineering standards.

“In order for National Grid to use critical equipment like this, we need to be absolutely sure it’s going to work. Anything less is not acceptable.”

The type registration process includes testing a cable’s conductivity, strength and tensility, stretching the product until it breaks. National Grid also visited TS Conductor’s factory to review the company’s quality management system, manufacturing, and technical capabilities.

“National Grid has a very rigorous product certification process, and it really has to do with their focus on safety and reliability,” said Huang. “Most utilities will simply inspect the overall conductor design, but National Grid went much further. They verified that every single aluminum strand in our conductor passed the specification requirements.

“Other utilities, especially international utilities, have great respect for National Grid’s type registration process, and that’s going to provide additional credibility to the TS Conductor brand.”

With the testing done, the startup’s next-generation conductors are poised to help accelerate the green energy transition, with National Grid’s UK Electric Transmission business and New York Electric business both actively planning pilots with TS Conductor.

“As a high-temperature, low-sag (HTLS) conductor, the TS Conductor product presents the opportunity to reimagine our overhead line assets,” said Hannon. “This will make consenting easier and reduce project costs overall.”