ITC Holdings, Mitsubishi Electric And MEPPI Expand Business Alliance

Published: 22-Jun-2009

By: Staff Writer Staff Writer Staff Writer

ITC Holdings Corp. (ITC Holdings), Mitsubishi Electric Corporation (Mitsubishi Electric) and its subsidiary Mitsubishi Electric Power Products, Inc. (MEPPI) are expanding their existing business alliance to develop and produce extra high voltage 765 kilovolt (kV) circuit breakers and 765 kV power transformers. The companies will focus on improving product development lead times, efficiency, technical design, material standardization and life cycle costs.

The companies efforts will help address a number of transmission industry challenges including the availability and supply of extra high voltage power transformers in North America.

Mitsubishi Electric will produce 765 kV transformers for use in ITC Holdings' Green Power Express project, a 3,000-mile long network of transmission lines that will move renewable energy from remote areas in the Upper Midwest to key Midwest and East Coast population centers.

In addition, ITC Holdings and MEPPI have agreed to work jointly on development of a 765 kV circuit breaker that will go into production by 2011 at MEPPI's Warrendale, Pennsylvania, manufacturing facility.

ITC has had a successful relationship with Mitsubishi Electric Corporation and Mitsubishi Electric Power Products for over five years and is pleased with this opportunity to extend the partnership as ITC continues to grow, said ITC Holdings Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, Jon E. Jipping. This alliance will enable us to advance development of the Green Power Express by ensuring access to high-quality, highly reliable 765 kV equipment while providing Mitsubishi Electric Corporation with impetus to manufacture some of this equipment in the United States.

We believe this is a terrific win for ITC, Mitsubishi Electric Corporation, Mitsubishi Electric Power Products and the nation as a whole, Jipping added.

Mitsubishi Electric Power Products and Mitsubishi Electric Corporation have experienced a successful relationship with ITC over the past five years supplying many sulfur hexafluoride (SF6) power circuit breakers and gas insulated substations (GIS). We are excited to extend this relationship to power transformers, said Mitsubishi Electric Power Products President and Chief Operating Officer, Brian Heery. We recognize the importance of being selected to participate with ITC in the Green Power Express, an initiative that has broad national implications for transmitting renewable energy resources while also helping to strengthen the country's transmission infrastructure.

Over the past five years, cooperation among ITC Holdings, Mitsubishi Electric and Mitsubishi Electric Power Products on the development of 345 kV and lower voltage breakers has resulted in lower production costs, shorter schedules and more reliable equipment commissioning.

In the past, ITC Holdings and Mitsubishi Electric Corporation have worked closely on development and production of GIS projects to replace older, leaking and unreliable GIS systems.

Mitsubishi Electric and MEPPI's manufacturing quality and equipment expertise are crucial to the success of large-scale transmission projects like the Green Power Express. Green Power Express addresses a recognized lack of electric transmission infrastructure needed to integrate wind energy onto the grid. The project supports a national energy vision and furthers the ability to achieve the reality of having a cleaner, sustainable energy supply in this country.

ITC Holdings is a US-based company engaged in the transmission of electricity.

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