The U.S. Department of Energy’s Idaho National Laboratory has put into service one of the nation’s most comprehensive electric power grid test beds.

The test grid, rated up to 138 kV, includes up to 32 miles of reconfigurable distribution line, 16 miles of transmission line, full fiber-optic communications, and transformers capable of supporting demonstrations at 15, 25, and 35 kV.

It also includes four 2,500- ft²research pads designed to house large pieces of equipment for conducting power load testing, smart grid assessments, and energy storage experiments. An additional 40,000- ft²test pad and equipment storage building will be completed in 2022, reports Daily Energy Insider.

The entire system is operated from a new, on-site command center. The command center features control systems and real-time power management equipment that allow sections of the test grid to be isolated for specific high-risk demonstrations.

 “Optimized to represent the wide range of distribution system configurations found across the country, the newly energized grid test bed at INL enables greater flexibility in assessing new ideas and technologies to better advance innovation to protect the nation’s critical electric infrastructure,” said Patricia Hoffman, acting assistant secretary of DOE’s Office of Electricity. “The enhanced test bed offers a collaborative environment for labs, industry, academia, and the government to leverage shared resources and will be used to demonstrate cutting-edge technologies for vital advancements like distributed energy resources and grid-scale energy storage.”

Plans to build the test grid were first outlined in 2013. U.S. Rep. Mike Simpson (R-ID) helped procure the initial funding.

Investments in the test grid total at $40 million.

Source: Daily Energy Insider