AMSC ships superconductor wire for Project Hydra

Devens, Mass.-based American Superconductor (Nasdaq: AMSC) announced that it has manufactured and shipped about 17,000 meters of its second generation high temperature superconductor wire for use in Project Hydra in New York, partially funded by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.

American Superconducter said this is the single largest shipment of second generation high temperature superconductor, or HTS, wire by any company worldwide.

The $39 million project, being installed in Manhattan, is focused on upgrading the U.S. grid to protect it from severe weather, accidents or terrorist attacks using American Superconductor's Secure Super Grids technology.

"Working with Homeland Security, Con Edison and Ultera, we have made significant progress since the launch of Project Hydra in mid-2007," said Daniel McGahn, general manager of AMSC Superconductors.

"We successfully completed tests of an initial trial SSG cable and have now shipped all of the wire necessary for the first system prototype."

The prototype is expected to be tested in 2009 and fully deployed in Manhattan in 2010.

Earlier this year, London-based Zenergy Power (AIM: ZEN) also grabbed a contract from Homeland Security on Project Hydra (see Zenergy gets contract for project Hydra power grid study).

Under that contract, Zenergy will study the use of its high-temperature superconductive fault current limiters on New York City's power grid.