United States and Mexico new cross-border connections

Two new asynchronous transmission links have been approved and installed between the United States (US) and Mexico. These links will be between American Electric Power (AEP), Sharyland Utilities LP (SU), respectively, and Mexicopsilas Comision Federal de Electricidad (CFE), and will be located in Laredo, Texas, US, and Railroadpsilas substation, near Mission, Texas, US. The reliability of both systems has been improved, through these new interconnections using available transmission lines and the advantages of new technology as the variable frequency transformer (VFT) and back to back HVDC, allowing better control of the interchange of power and better control of reactive power and voltage along the border. Both AEP and SU, respectively, selected the 100 MW VFT and 150 MW BtB HVDC, controllable, bidirectional transmission devices, that allows power transfer between CFE and the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) networks that might not be synchronized. Relevant aspects considered in this study are: 1. Immediate consideration of support to the ERCOT transmission system along the Texas border where older inefficient generation is no longer economical to operate; 2. Evaluation of new opportunities for long-term interconnections that can not support additional economic transactions and emergency assistance between CFE and ERCOT and; 3. These studies will not be constrained by infrastructure limitation, and they are likely to involve new transmission improvements for higher transfer capabilities.