Assessment and enhancement of the utilization of electric power transmission lines

Electric utilities are motivated to increase the power and energy transfer capability of transmission facilities and rights-of-way, not only to cope with present and future challenges but also as a new alternative to generate revenues. Towards addressing this need, the objectives of this paper are: (1) to introduce an assessment framework that measures how well the transmission lines are currently being utilized; and (2) to demonstrate that both the power and energy transfer capability of transmission lines can be enhanced significantly by energy storage systems.