Active Power Flywheel-Based UPS Systems Improve Safety at Major International Airport
AUSTIN, Texas, March 26 - Mexico City International Airport (AICM), the principal airport for the tenth largest city in the world, has deployed three Active Power 600 kVA N+1 CleanSource uninterruptible power supply (UPS) systems to protect critical operations that include lighting for runways and taxiways, and visual aid facilities.
Active Power (NASDAQ:ACPW), the inventor and manufacturer of the most reliable and energy-efficient critical power systems in the world, worked closely with airport engineers to deliver a complete solution. Previously, AICM had only a generator which would take about 15 seconds to begin providing backup power when the utility power was lost.
"When the power went out, we would lose our runway lights, our taxi lighting - many key visual systems used to guide aircraft on the ground or in the process of landing or taking off," said Mr. Moises Ponce, Electromechanical Installations Director for AICM. "This virtually eliminated a critically important navigation system and created a safety concern."
The CleanSource UPS system at the center of the Active Power solution generates power from the kinetic energy of its flywheel, which continues to spin when the utility power is down. In addition to providing continuous power conditioning, the UPS system seamlessly bridges utility failures allowing sufficient time for a generator to start up and substitute for the utility supply. AICM also appreciated the smaller footprint of the CleanSource system, which takes up less than half the space of other alternatives they considered.
"We believe the flywheel-based system from Active Power, with its N+1 internal redundancy, is more reliable and will help us deliver the safety we promise our airlines and travelers," said Mr. Ponce. "With at least one power disturbance per week requiring the generator, the UPS systems have been tested many times since coming online in mid-January and have worked perfectly."
"We know that having a highly reliable continuous power system in place is key to being among the best in the business and we are happy to work with Mexico City's airport to help them enhance their operations," said Jim Clishem, President and CEO of Active Power. "Our CleanSource systems are compelling to businesses worldwide because they are power-dense, energy-efficient and inherently reliable."
This is the second major airport installation for Active Power in the last ten months. The company also is providing over 6 megawatts of power systems to support a huge new airport in Asia. Active Power also supplies critical power solutions to airports in Europe, the Middle East and the Czech Republic.
AICM is the busiest airport in Latin America, serving over 24 million passengers a year and landing a plane every two minutes. The airport recently completed an expansion and major reconstruction of its primary terminal. With plans to increase the traffic capacity by 12 million people and compete with the world's major airports, AICM is constructing a second terminal and expects to open it by the end of 2007.
About Active Power:
Active Power (NASDAQ:ACPW) provides efficient, reliable, and green power quality solutions and Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS) systems to enable business continuity in the event of power disturbances. Founded in 1992, Active Power's flywheel-based UPS systems protect critical operations in data centers, healthcare facilities, manufacturing plants, broadcast stations, and governmental agencies in over 40 countries. Active Power recently introduced CoolAir, the only solution that provides both backup power and backup cooling. With expert power system engineers and worldwide service and support, Active Power provides turnkey solutions that ensure organizations have the power to perform. For more information, please visit http://www.activepower.com/.
Active Power Media Contact:
Jason Deal
The Bernard Group
512.617.6358
jdeal@bernardgroup.com
Web site: http://www.activepower.com/
