The SENER-BC Project comprises the development of the following:
a. A point-to-point, direct current transmission line operating in a bipolar form with a capacity of 1,500 MW, at a voltage level of ± 500 kV and with a length of 700 km.
b. Two converter stations with HVDC VSC technology of 1,500 MW, with a direct current transmission voltage of 500 kV, primary AC voltage level of 400 kV and secondary voltage according to the manufacturer’s design.
The project will be located in the northern Mexico, and will run from the Cucapah Electric Substation in Mexicali, Baja California to the Seri Electric Substation in Hermosillo, Sonora. The main objective of this project is to link the National Interconnected System (Sistema Interconectado Nacional, or the SIN) with the Baja California Interconnected System (Sistema Interconectado Baja California, or the SIBC).
The SIN is the main electrical system in Mexico, and covers a large part of Mexican territory. The SIBC is located in the north of the peninsula of Baja California, which is electrically isolated from the rest of the country. However, the SIBC is interconnected with the electrical system of the western US, so linking it to the SIN expands platforms for interaction with other electrical systems.
The SENER-BC Project is expected to reduce the price of electricity in Baja California, improve the operation and reliability of the SIBC, and encourage wind and solar generation in the region.14 The project will require an investment of an estimated US$1.1 billion.15
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