Candace BarnetteGoogle and CTC Global have announced a unique partnership to significantly enhance America’s power grid infrastructure. The companies issued a Request for Information (RFI) to states, utilities and developers interested in collaborating on the effort.
The RFI will identify areas with the most potential for grid improvement, where advanced conductors from CTC Global will be deployed to significantly increase power capacity.
The initiative will prioritize areas where advanced conductors can provide immediate and impactful change, particularly in regions where Google already operates. CTC Global’s ACCC Conductor can potentially double the power transmission capacity in comparison to traditional conductors.
The deployment process, using existing poles and towers, takes only a few months. This represents significant time savings compared to the years required for new transmission line construction.
This partnership represents an unusual approach where a major power consumer is proactively funding infrastructure improvements rather than simply demanding more capacity from utilities. This customer-driven model could serve as a template for other large energy users, helping to accelerate grid modernization while reducing costs and timelines for critical infrastructure projects.
The partnership encourages applications from areas where Google has either announced new data center projects or already operates data centers. Areas associated with Google’s wholesale markets can also apply.
New Google data centers are currently in development across the U.S., including locations in Fort Wayne, Indiana; Kansas City, Missouri; Lincoln, Nebraska; Mesa, Arizona and Red Oak, Texas.
Partners selected through the RFI process will have access to several resources from both Google and CTC Global. These include:
- Cost assistance, where funding will be available to expedite deployment.
- Workforce development to train utility service providers in the new ACCC Conductors.
- Technical analysis to validate the impact of the upgrades.
RFI responses are due on July 14. According to Google and CTC Global, a full Request for Proposals (RFP) will follow soon after.
The collaboration is intended to create reliable, efficient power transmission infrastructure and accelerate regional economic growth while lowering energy costs. It comes as artificial intelligence and data center development has increased power demands across the nation.
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