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Dynamic line rating goes live at full scale on New York transmission lines

Dynamic line rating goes live at full scale on New York transmission lines

New Capabilities

Sensors on four 115kV lines in western New York let operators use real-time capacity, cutting wind curtailments by 350 megawatts

October 6th, 2026: Report: New York sensors could unlock more wind capacity

Overview

Updated Oct 22

National Grid and LineVision run dynamic line rating sensors on four 115-kilovolt lines in western New York. The sensors measure how much each line sags and the weather around it, then send live capacity readings to grid operators, who can push more power through when conditions allow.

National Grid expects 20% to 30% more capacity per line. Combined with five miles of rebuilt circuit, the project is projected to cut wind curtailments by more than 350 megawatts. Other utilities are moving: Eversource won federal approval for a four-year, $95 million DLR rollout across 4,000 miles of transmission in New Hampshire, Massachusetts and Connecticut, and Avangrid tested DLR on two 230-kilovolt corridors near Hornell.

Why it matters

If DLR spreads, utilities can add renewable capacity to existing lines in months instead of waiting five-plus years for new transmission.

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Key Indicators

350+ MW
Wind curtailment reduction
Expected reduction in wind power curtailed along the corridor from DLR and circuit rebuilds.
190 MW
Average corridor capacity increase
Expected average capacity gain across the western New York corridor.
20-30%
Average line capacity increase
Expected capacity gain per line from DLR, per National Grid estimates.
4
Transmission lines equipped
Four 115kV lines in upstate New York with LineVision DLR sensors.
$46M
Avoided rebuild costs
Consumer savings from deferring reconstruction of the line, per LineVision's National Grid case study.
1.1M tons
CO2 avoided per year
Projected annual emissions avoided by moving more renewable power, per LineVision's case study.

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People Involved

HG
Hudson Gilmer
Co-founder and CEO of LineVision
Leading the company's DLR deployments with National Grid
BG
Brian Gemmell
Chief Operating Officer Electric Operations, National Grid New York
Overseeing DLR integration into grid operations
LL
Lisa Lambert
President of National Grid's venture arm
Championing grid-enhancing technologies across National Grid regions

Organizations Involved

National Grid
National Grid
Electricity transmission operator
Operating the DLR deployment in western New York

One of the largest investor-owned utilities in the world, operating transmission and distribution networks in the US Northeast and UK.
LineVision
LineVision
Technology startup
DLR technology provider for the deployment

Provider of non-contact overhead power line monitoring systems, including the LineRate DLR platform.

Timeline

2022 October 2026

6 events Latest: October 6th, 2026 · 1 month ago
Tap a bar to jump to that date

  1. Report: New York sensors could unlock more wind capacity

    Latest Milestone

    An Energies Media report says the LineVision deployment, combined with five miles of circuit rebuilds, is expected to cut wind curtailments along the corridor by more than 350 MW.

  2. Eversource wins federal approval for $95M DLR rollout

    Deployment

    The utility plans DLR across 4,000 miles of transmission in New Hampshire, Massachusetts and Connecticut over four years. Half the cost comes from a federal grant, half from ratepayers.

  3. LineVision DLR fully integrated into National Grid operations

    Milestone

    The DLR system was integrated into National Grid's transmission control room, marking the largest operationalization of DLR in the US.

  4. DLR deployment becomes operational

    Deployment

    The DLR system began operating on the western New York lines, following a year of pilots with National Grid.

  5. National Grid and LineVision announce largest US DLR project

    Announcement

    The companies announced DLR sensors on four 115kV lines in western New York, the first real-time DLR operation in the state.

  6. Sensors installed on four 115kV lines in upstate New York

    Deployment

    LineVision's LineRate DLR sensors were installed on transmission lines serving the Cassadaga and Arkwright Summit wind projects.

Scenarios

1

National Grid expands DLR to Massachusetts and UK

Likely Resolves by End of 2027

Discussed by: Latitude Media, National Grid executives

National Grid has said it is considering similar DLR deployments in Massachusetts and its UK operations. The company has data from the Syracuse deployment and expects future deployments to require less effort, since the integration playbook is now established.

2

New York utilities adopt DLR systemwide

Possible Resolves by End of 2028

Discussed by: New York Public Service Commission, Canary Media

New York's Public Service Commission has required utilities to consider DLR as part of grid plans to meet the state's 70% renewable by 2030 goal. The National Grid deployment could serve as a template for other utilities in the state.

3

DLR capacity gains fall short of projections

Unlikely Resolves by End of 2027

Discussed by: Latitude Media, grid operations analysts

The 20-30% capacity increases are projections based on pilot data. If real-world operations show smaller gains, utilities may be slower to adopt DLR. The operational challenge of training control room operators on new data also affects adoption speed.

4

Avangrid expands DLR beyond its Hornell demonstration

Possible Resolves by End of 2027

Discussed by: NYSERDA, Avangrid

With NYSERDA support, Avangrid and LineVision tested DLR on two 230-kilovolt corridors near Hornell. Dynamic ratings exceeded seasonal static ratings in about 80% of hourly calculations, and fell below them in adverse conditions. A decision to deploy more widely would show the approach spreading to a second New York utility.

Historical Context

2 moments from history that rhyme with this story — and how they unfolded.

2003-2010

Phasor measurement unit deployment (2003-2010)

After the 2003 Northeast blackout, utilities deployed phasor measurement units (PMUs) to get real-time visibility into grid conditions. The sensors measure voltage and current at high speed, giving operators a live picture of grid stability.

Then

Utilities gained real-time situational awareness that helped prevent cascading failures.

Now

PMUs became a standard grid monitoring tool, laying the foundation for modern grid operations.

Why this matters now

Like PMUs, DLR is a sensor technology that gives grid operators real-time data to operate lines more efficiently, without building new infrastructure.

2009-2015

Smart grid stimulus investments (2009)

The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act allocated billions for smart grid technologies, including advanced sensors, smart meters, and grid automation. Utilities used the funding to modernize aging infrastructure.

Then

Utilities deployed millions of smart meters and grid sensors across the US.

Now

The investments built the data infrastructure that enables technologies like DLR to work.

Why this matters now

The smart grid buildout created the data pipelines and control room systems that make DLR integration feasible today.

Sources

(14)
+8
Energies Media LineVision Latitude Media Canary Media Renewable Energy World TD World Sustainability Magazine MDPI Electronics PR Newswire Concord Monitor NYSERDA GridConnect LineVision Energy Digital LineVision