ALLENTOWN, Pa., Oct. 24,
2022 /PRNewswire/ -- PPL Corporation (NYSE: PPL),
through its subsidiary PPL TransLink Inc., and Elia Group, through
its subsidiary WindGrid, today announced an agreement to develop
and propose innovative transmission solutions to reliably and
efficiently integrate future offshore wind capacity to the onshore
grid in the New England region.
The two companies signed a memorandum of understanding to work
together to develop, build and operate transmission assets. This
will combine PPL's extensive experience in building and operating
large-scale onshore transmission in the U.S. with Elia Group's
proven track record in building, integrating and operating offshore
transmission, including high-voltage direct current (HVDC)
networks.
"As the U.S. seeks to accelerate the development of offshore
wind to advance a cleaner energy future, it's essential that we
prepare to integrate that wind generation as reliably and
efficiently as possible to strengthen grid resilience and keep
energy affordable," said Vincent
Sorgi, president and chief executive officer of PPL
Corporation. "Both PPL and Elia Group are at the forefront of grid
innovation, and together with WindGrid, we intend to leverage our
shared vision and deep expertise to propose solutions that advance
decarbonization goals, enhance energy security and drive value for
consumers."
Later this month, PPL and WindGrid plan to jointly respond to a
request for information (RFI) issued by five New England states
that are seeking input from interested stakeholders relating to the
transmission system changes and upgrades that are needed to
integrate future renewable energy resources into their grids.
The states – Massachusetts,
Connecticut, Rhode Island, Maine and New
Hampshire – recognize the importance of early planning for
carrying out this offshore wind development. Recent studies,
including Massachusetts' Energy
Pathways to Deep Decarbonization report, which is cited in the
RFI, assume that up to 30,000 megawatts of New England offshore
wind capacity will be deployed by 2050.
"Both PPL and Elia Group share the same open mind and
vision regarding innovative offshore transmission solutions," said
Chris Peeters, CEO of Elia Group.
"By uniting our complementary skills and building on the experience
Elia Group has built up in Europe,
we want to undertake offshore development in the interest of
society. PPL is a reliable and robust player in the U.S. energy
sector. Our values and ambitions in terms of driving the energy
transition are well matched."
For more than 25 years, Elia Group has been a front-runner in
offshore electricity transmission. Through its subsidiaries in
Belgium (Elia) and Germany (50Hertz), the company has connected
14 wind farms (3,500 MW by the end of 2022) to its onshore grid and
is currently operating three HVDC subsea cable interconnectors. The
company built the world's first hybrid interconnector (an
interconnector that is connected to three offshore wind farms) and
has pioneered many innovative projects and approaches, including
the first offshore alternating current grid in Germany and the use of X-ray technology for
offshore cable inspections.
New innovative projects are on their way. Elia Group is
currently developing the world's first energy islands that will
form the building blocks of an integrated European offshore grid.
These offshore electricity hubs will link wind farms and HVDC
interconnectors to multiple European countries. All of Elia's
projects are realized in close partnership with wind developers,
other grid operators and international partners across the value
chain.
Elia Group's transmission system has a reliability rate of
99.99%, and like PPL, the company continues to invest in advanced
technology and digitalization.
Through its subsidiaries, PPL Corporation has invested more than
$9 billion in transmission in the
U.S. over the past decade, part of more than $30 billion invested overall in utility
infrastructure and technology. The company has significant
experience engaging with a wide range of stakeholders to
successfully site new transmission projects and working with
regional transmission organizations to strengthen grid resilience.
PPL is an industry leader in deploying smart grid technology and
automation to drive value for customers and operates one of the
nation's most reliable electricity networks.
About PPL Corporation
PPL Corporation (NYSE: PPL), based in Allentown, Pennsylvania, is a leading U.S.
energy company focused on providing electricity and natural gas
safely, reliably and affordably to 3.5 million customers in the
U.S. PPL's high-performing, award-winning utilities are addressing
energy challenges head-on by building smarter, more resilient and
more dynamic power grids and advancing sustainable energy
solutions. For more information, visit www.pplweb.com.
About PPL TransLink Inc.
PPL TransLink Inc., a subsidiary of PPL Corporation, is focused
on developing transmission solutions and key infrastructure to
strengthen grid resilience outside of PPL's regulated utility
service territories, position the grid as an enabler of clean
energy resources, and help move power, including electricity from
renewable resources, to where it is needed most by homes and
businesses.
About Elia Group
Elia Group is a key player in electricity transmission. Through
its subsidiaries in Belgium (Elia)
and the north and east of Germany
(50Hertz), Elia operates 19,192 kilometers of high-voltage
connections on land and at sea. In addition to Elia Group's
activities as a system operator, the company provides various
consulting services (via Elia Grid International) and, through its
newest subsidiary WindGrid, is aiming to be a reliable partner for
governments that want to proactively build offshore grid
infrastructure and renewable energy developers that are looking for
solutions that will allow them to securely connect and integrate
their offshore energy projects into the onshore grid.
www.eliagroup.eu.
PPL Contacts:
For news media: Ryan Hill,
610-774-4033
For financial analysts: Andy Ludwig,
610-774-3389
WindGrid Contacts:
For news media: Marleen Vanhecke, +32 486 49 01 09
For financial analysts: Stephanie
Luyten, +32 467 05 44 95
Note to Editors: Visit our media website at
www.pplnewsroom.com for additional news about PPL
Corporation.
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SOURCE PPL Corporation