been energized as early as December 1985. Depending on official tallies and news accounts, the total cost was $5.5 billion. Finally yet equally integral for Path 27 are two converter stations (see below), which were inaugurated along with the transmission main, and are vital for its functionality. IPP's converter was installed in conjunction with the power generator, while the second converter in Adelanto and a tangent switchyard began rising on May 26, 1985, and finished in June 1986 in time to receive freshly-borne energy from borders over. LADWP supervised the construction of the combined facility and tasked ABB Group with the responsibility of the accouterments. Later history Since its inception, Path 27 saw upgrades and refinements around the latter turn of the century—the IPP's latest proliferation included. At the behest of LADWP and Southern California Edison, ABB Group and Hitachi Energy modernized the transmission line in 2008 and 2011, respectively, with improved control and protection technology alongside supplemental filters and cooling systems at each terminal. This helped raise the power line's capacity to its modern-day level of 2,400 MW. Installation Transmission The primary component of Path 27 is the transmission line itself, which travels a length of entirely aboveground through southwestern Utah, southern Nevada, and southern California. It exerts ±500 kV and is rated for 2,400 MW, giving it a maximum current rating of 4,800 amperes; by comparison, the Intermountain Power Plant (IPP) generates up to 1,900 MW, thus adding to the line's fault tolerance. As opposed to three phases, Path 27 has two poles; one positive (cathode) and another negative (anode); making this a bipolar configuration. On most HVDC systems, power can be sent in either direction; Path 27 transports electricity from Utah to California under normal circumstances. Any conductive material engenders electromagnetic radiation whenever electricity flows through it. A single cable carrying such high voltage would produce particularly strong radiation in the form of a corona discharge that can deprive electrical energy and cause EM interference on radio and communication devices. For this reason, Path 27's conductors comprise three cables fastened together, or are triple-bundled. This not only reduces the detrimental effects of discharge, it also provides more surface area for power to flow, thereby improving transmission efficiency. Two shield wires are mounted above the main conductors and shared by the same support pylons. These wires guard the power line against lightning strikes. Converters Both sides of Path