Modern Grid-Enhancing Technologies: Unlocking Capacity Without Building New Lines
The world needs more electricity—fast. Data centers are proliferating, factories are reshoring, and entire transportation sectors are electrifying. Meanwhile, the transmission lines built 50 to 70 years ago are struggling to keep up. But building new lines takes 10 to 15 years and faces fierce opposition at every turn.
The grid is aging, but the solution isn't just building new—it's working smarter with what we already have.
What Are Grid-Enhancing Technologies (GETs)?
GETs are a class of hardware and software solutions that increase the capacity, efficiency, and reliability of existing transmission lines—without the need for new corridors or lengthy permits. They can unlock 40 to 100 percent more capacity from existing infrastructure. Deploying GETs costs 5 to 10 times less per megawatt of added capacity compared to building new lines.
Technology 1: Advanced Conductors (Smarter Wires)
Traditional conductors, known as ACSR (Aluminum Conductor Steel Reinforced), perform poorly at high temperatures. The steel core expands, causing the line to sag dangerously.
Advanced conductors replace the heavy steel core with a lightweight carbon‑fiber composite. This core can carry up to twice the current of a conventional conductor—with less sag, lower electrical losses, and better thermal stability.
The process, called reconductoring, keeps existing towers and rights‑of‑way intact while delivering massive capacity gains.
Cheyenne Light, Fuel and Power: Reconductored a 115‑kV line with ACCC® technology. The line went from 953 amps to 1,843 amps—a 94% increase—without modifying a single structure.
American Electric Power (Texas): A 345‑kV line upgrade delivered a 75% capacity increase after reconductoring.
Southern California Edison: Avoided an $80 million rebuild by reconductoring a critical corridor with advanced conductors, saving tens of millions and increasing capacity from 936 to 1,520 peak amps.
A UC Berkeley study found that simply replacing existing conductors with advanced materials could double U.S. transmission capacity by 2035, reduce wholesale electricity costs by 3 to 4 percent, and generate $180 billion in system savings by 2050.
Technology 2: Dynamic Line Rating (DLR)
Traditional line ratings are "static"—set conservatively for worst‑case weather (low wind, high temperatures). This leaves vast amounts of capacity unused most of the time.
Dynamic Line Rating flips the equation. Sensors installed directly on live transmission lines measure real‑time conditions: conductor temperature, sag, wind speed, and ambient temperature. When conditions are favorable—breezy days or cooler temperatures—DLR reveals that the line can safely carry 10 to 40 percent more power.
Great River Energy in Minnesota deployed the nation's largest DLR system, installing smart sensors across its network. On one monitored line, DLR identified a 48.9% increase in available capacity simply because the weather was better than the conservative "static" assumptions. That extra capacity enabled more wind and solar power to flow without a single mile of new construction.
Additional GETs in the Toolkit
Power flow controllers (e.g., distributed FACTS devices): Redirect electricity from congested lines to underutilized parallel paths.
Topology optimization software: Recommends switching actions to reconfigure power flow around bottlenecks in real time.
AI‑driven grid intelligence: Platforms like GridCARE use AI to identify hidden capacity, reducing connection timelines from years to 6‑12 months. The IEA estimates that global digitization of power networks—largely driven by AI—could save $1.8 trillion by 2050 in grid investment deferment.
Regulatory Drivers Accelerating Adoption
FERC Order 881, which took full effect in 2025, requires U.S. transmission providers to use ambient‑adjusted ratings rather than static seasonal ratings. This regulatory shift is a foundational step toward dynamic ratings, as it forces utilities to move beyond outdated static approaches.
In addition, California, Massachusetts, and Minnesota have passed legislation requiring utilities to evaluate GETs and advanced conductors in all major transmission planning decisions.
What This Means for Professionals
The industry is shifting from a "build more" mindset to a "use what exists better" approach. Engineers who understand reconductoring, dynamic ratings, and smart grid optimization are increasingly in demand. Regulators are mandating these technologies, utilities are deploying them at scale, and the results speak for themselves.
This article draws from the foundational principles taught in Power Transmission and Distribution Poles and Lines Fundamentals, a comprehensive video course where you can learn industry‑specific knowledge about transmission and distribution line infrastructure and how it is designed. I have handcrafted this course to provide the core practical knowledge needed to start—or accelerate—a career working with power lines. If you are a professional interested in working with transmission or distribution systems, you will find this course a valuable guide to the fundamentals that power the grid.
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