Teshmont has been selected by Atlantic Grid Development (AGD) to be the Owner's Engineer for the Atlantic Wind Connection (AWC) Project. The AWC project involves the development of an offshore high voltage direct current (HVDC) undersea cable transmission backbone that will facilitate the connection of up to 6,000 MW of offshore wind generation along the eastern seaboard of the United States. As Owner's Engineer, Teshmont will be supporting AGD by performing system integration studies, developing conceptual designs, supporting the environmental and regulatory filings, preparing functional and technical specifications, reviewing the detailed design, monitoring manufacture and installation and participating in system testing and commissioning.

The AWC project recently passed an important milestone with the submission of a rate application to the US Federal Energy Regulatory Commission. The filing, which includes testimony from Teshmont's Dr. Robert Burton, describes how flexible HVDC technology can be used to efficiently connect variable offshore wind energy to the congested PJM grid while also improving PJM's ability to operate the grid in a way that improves reliability and efficient generation dispatch. Other testimony in the filing describes the project's role in fostering the development of a regional offshore wind industry that will bring jobs and economic growth to the Mid-Atlantic states.

"This unprecedented leading edge project will push the technological limits for HVDC transmission through the use of multi-terminal voltage source converters and, when completed, will facilitate the integration of 6,000 MW of clean renewable wind energy to the eastern coastal region of the United States", says Ralph Kurth, Teshmont's President. "We're very excited to be playing a major role in this innovative project". The project is being developed by the Atlantic Grid Development, LLC consisting of principles from DC Interconnect, Inc., Dewey & LeBoeuf and Trans-Elect, and is sponsored by Good Energies, Google and Marubeni Corporation. Construction of the first of five project phases is scheduled to begin in 2013. For more information on the project, visit http://www.atlanticwindconnection.com/.