Alstom Grid Selected to Provide HVDC Converter Assets for Tres Amigas SuperStation

October 21, 2010 - Alstom Grid and Tres Amigas LLC have jointly announced that Alstom Grid has been selected to provide their HVDC converter technology for the Tres Amigas SuperStation, a first-of-its-kind power transmission hub that will link Americas three primary electric transmission grids. The project, to be located in Clovis, New Mexico near the Texas/New Mexico border, will enhance the reliability of the countrys electricity network and facilitate the efficient transfer of clean energy between regions, notably interconnecting the Eastern (Southwest Power Pool), Western (Western Electricity Coordinating Council) and Texas (Electric Reliability Council of Texas) networks.

Alstom Grid will immediately begin engineering design for the transmission interconnection which will employ an innovative application of its latest technology in Voltage Source Converters (VSC). Construction is expected to commence in 2012 and the SuperStation is scheduled to begin commercial operations by 2014.

Tres Amigas has engaged the worlds elite engineering, project management and technology organizations to connect Americas balkanized power grids for the first time ever with the Tres Amigas SuperStation, said Phil Harris, CEO and founder of Tres Amigas, LLC. We are very pleased to now include the highly experienced team of power electronics engineers from Alstom Grid as part of the Tres Amigas team.

Alstom Grid is one of the leading providers of state-of-the-art HVDC interconnections and we are heavily involved in several innovative Smart Grid projects around the world. Our participation in the Tres Amigas SuperStation project will bring decades of experience and expertise to this venture and we are very pleased that our technological solution has been selected, stated Henri Pourpart-Lafarge, President of Alstom Grid.

Alstom Grid has close to 50 years of power electronics experience applied to the design and delivery of large-scale, high voltage power transmission projects around the world.

When operational, the SuperStation will serve to improve power reliability and solve voltage and stability problems caused by the intermittent generation of renewable energy sources such as wind, solar and geothermal. It will have significant reactive power capability that can be controlled at each interconnection, improving stability, transfer capability and transmission efficiency.

Based in Santa Fe, NM, Tres Amigas LLC is a business venture backed by a number of prominent investors and partners, including American Superconductor, AltEnergy, LLC, Z Global Engineering & Energy Solutions, Viridity Energy, London Economics, Steptoe & Johnson, Burns & McDonell and Xtreme Power Solutions.

About Tres Amigas, LLC
Tres Amigas, LLC is uniting the nations electric grid. Utilizing the latest advances in power grid technology, Tres Amigas is focused on providing the first common interconnection of Americas three power grids to help the country achieve its renewable energy goals and facilitate the smooth, reliable and efficient transfer of green power from region to region. Tres Amigas, LLC is a merchant transmission entity composed of electric utility industry operational, technology and thought leaders. More information is available at www.tresamigasllc.com.

About Alstom
Alstom is a global leader in the world of power generation, power transmission and rail infrastructure and sets the benchmark for innovative and environmentally friendly technologies. Alstom builds the fastest train and the highest capacity automated metro in the world. It provides turnkey integrated power plant solutions and associated services for a wide variety of energy sources, including hydro, nuclear, gas, coal and wind, and it offers a wide range of solutions for power transmission, with a focus on smart grids. The Group employs 96,500 people in more than 70 countries, and had sales of over 23 billion* in 2009/10. (*Pro forma figures)

Alstom Grid, the newest sector of Alstom, formed following the recent acquisition of AREVAs Transmission activities on 7 June 2010, has over 100 years of expertise in electrical grids. Whether for utilities or electro-intensive industries or facilitating the trading of energy, Alstom Grid brings power to their customers projects. Alstom Grid ranks among the top 3 in electrical transmission sector with a sales turnover of approximately 3.5 billion in 2009. It has 20,000 employees and over 90 manufacturing and engineering sites worldwide. Its four main business areas are Products, Systems, Automation and Service. At the heart of the development of Smart Grid, Alstom Grid offers products, services and integrated energy management solutions across the full energy value chainfrom power generation, through transmission and distribution grids and to the large end user.

Press Contacts
James Millard (Grid) Tel : +33 1 34 96 92 54
james.millard@areva-td.com

Websites: www.alstom.com, www.grid.alstom.com

• Alstom Grid Selected to Provide HVDC Converter Assets for Tres Amigas SuperStation

• Tres Amigas LLC