The Long Island Power Authority's (LIPA; Long Island, New York, U.S.) construction phase of the world's largest and highest voltage superconductor electric transmission cable system has begun. The 138-kV cable system, nearly one-half mile (805 m) in length, will be the first superconductor cable installed on a live grid at transmission voltages and will carry more power than all the previous high-temperature superconductor (HTS) cable demonstrations combined.

The project is being undertaken by a government-industry partnership. Other partners participating in the ceremony included the United States Department of Energy, American Superconductor Corp. (Westborough, Massachusetts, U.S.), Nexans (Paris, France) and Air Liquide (Paris). The purpose of the project is to demonstrate the operation of a high-voltage superconducting cable within an electric utility transmission system. The cable will be installed by early 2007 in LIPA's Holbrook transmission right-of-way running north-south for about 2000 ft (609 m). Both ends will be connected to LIPA's existing transmission system.