Transmission and Interconnectors – Design, Operation and Asset management

Transmission

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Frontier Power team members have operated as executives at the highest levels in National Grid, the UK’s electricity transmission company, and National Grid Group, the international gas and electricity company which is one of the largest investor-owned energy companies in the world currently capitalised at £22bn.

In addition to directly managing investments we provide financial investors with a full management service from asset selection and due diligence through to operational management.

Interconnectors

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One of Frontier Power’s managers also developed and then acted as the CEO for one of the largest sub-sea interconnectors in the world, Basslink, connecting Tasmania and Victoria.

At 290 km long, the US $1bn Basslink interconnector is the 2nd Longest HVDC cable of its type in the world.  It enhances security of supply on both sides of Bass Strait; protecting Tasmania against the risk of drought-constrained energy shortages while providing Victoria and southern states with secure renewable energy during times of peak demand.

Basslink also has a number of fibre optic assets which carry high speed telecommunication traffic.

Offshore transmission connections for offshore wind farms

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Frontier Power, working with a consortium of leading financial institutions and infrastructure funds, successfully bid for offshore transmission assets in the UK, helping to promote the efficient development of renewable technologies in that country.

This consortium had the financial strength to win the bidding for US $600m (£390m) of three transmission assets in 2010/11.  Frontier Power has now taken operational management of two of those OFTO assets (Walney 1 and Walney 2) and will take control of the third in 2013.  In September 2012 it learned that it had also been successful in managing the bid on behalf of an investment consortium for a further offshore transmission asset, London Array, worth £428m which Frontier Power expects to take operational control of during 2013.

In securing this operational asset management role, Frontier Power needed to demonstrate to the UK energy regulator that it and its directors were qualified as fit and proper to run part of the UK’s transmission system.