TS Conductor (TS) has announced that its Aluminum Encapsulated Carbon Core (AECC) conductors have been selected for an upcoming transmission grid modernization project Himachal Pradesh State Electricity Board (HPSEB).
The commercial order was awarded via TS’s regional stranding partner Laser Power & Infra Ltd. HPSEB will use AECC for a turnkey reconductoring project aimed at improving power supply reliability in the Nalagarh region, the release said.
TS’s AECC technology was designed to solve the challenges presented by first-generation advanced conductors. For example, while earlier advanced conductors were extremely delicate and difficult to install, AECC is highly durable and can be installed with standard installation practices — no specialized equipment or training required — yet still delivers two to three times more power than traditional wires. In addition, AECC is designed for longevity, with an encapsulated core that is fully protected from physical and environmental degradation, unlike first-generation alternatives, the release noted.
New facility in US
With its headquarters in Southern California and a new production facility recently opened in South Carolina, US-based TS is finding new ways to meet rising demand on a global scale. Through TS and Laser Power’s stranding partnership, TS manufactures and ships its pre-tensioned encapsulated carbon fiber composite core technology to India for completion of the manufacturing process. Thanks to this partnership and others like it, next-generation advanced conductors are now more accessible across the country, the release added.
Reconductoring of MV lines
HPSEBL’s upcoming project will reconductor and modernize several medium-voltage 11kV feeder circuits, as well as the 3-phase lines that reach the 11/0.4kV distribution transformers. By replacing the legacy ACSR conductor with AECC, HPSEBL will upgrade and enhance grid transmission capacity — with a 2-3x increase — and power supply reliability throughout this industrial region without requiring costly right-of-way expansion or civil redesigns.
Important milestone
“The HPSEBL project represents an important milestone in our partnership with Laser Power, and highlights the value of combining local manufacturing and execution capabilities with TS Conductor’s innovative AECC technology to help utilities increase grid capacity, improve reliability, and accelerate project implementation,” said Vivek Kohli, a Mumbai-based technology advisor to TS Conductor and CEO of TS India. “With increasing participation in utility tenders and expanding customer acceptance, TS Conductor is well positioned to support India’s growing transmission and power infrastructure needs.”
Deepening Indian market footprint
The HPSEBL order is an early win for TS’s strategic focus on local manufacturing and dedicated market presence in India. TS operates in India with highly experienced transmission industry TS leaders working directly with utilities, EPC contractors, and manufacturing partners.
Beyond Laser Power, TS Conductor has established a network of four strategic manufacturing and commercial partners actively bidding on central and state utility transmission projects across India. Current project focus areas include:
Strategic partner Diamond Power Infrastructure Ltd is actively pursuing several major Power Grid Corporation of India transmission projects, collaborating closely with TS on long-span transmission line opportunities where AECC’s strength-to-weight ratio offers significant technical and economic advantages. TS and Diamond Power are also exploring targeted opportunities to support the high-density power supply requirements of India’s rapidly growing data center ecosystem.
Another TS strategic partner, Universal Cables, is in the process of undergoing type testing and will soon be ready to deploy AECC conductors via its turnkey extra high voltage underground cable projects.
As reconductoring becomes a core pillar of India’s grid modernization roadmap, TS Conductor and its domestic partners offer utilities a proven, locally manufactured solution to resolve transmission bottlenecks rapidly, sustainably, and cost-effectively.
Addressing transmission bottlenecks
“Modernizing existing corridors with AECC is the fastest way to solve transmission bottlenecks as electricity demand accelerates,” said Jason Huang, PhD, CEO of TS Conductor. “This deployment with HPSEBL underscores the global momentum behind AECC as the benchmark for grid efficiency and reliability.”
Next-generation AECC technology
AECC delivers key upgrades far surpassing the structural vulnerabilities of earlier generation composite conductors:
- Aluminum encapsulation: Encases the pre-tensioned carbon fiber core in a seamless aluminum sleeve, protecting against micro-fractures, moisture, and galvanic corrosion.
- Higher capacity and efficiency: Doubles to triples current capacity over traditional ACSR while cutting line losses by up to 50 per cent.
- Low thermal sag: Maintains safe ground clearances under high thermal loads using existing tower infrastructure.
- Standard handling: Installs with standard field practices and conventional hardware without risking core damage.
Featured photograph showing a manufacturing facility of TS Conductors is for representation only