Fundamental concepts in High-Voltage Direct-Current power transmission

High-Voltage Direct-Current (HVDC) power transmission is an increasingly important adjunct to conventional alternating current (ac) transmission of electric energy. The modern era dates from the middle 1950s when a 20 MW, 100 kV undersea cable system fed power to Gotland Island in the Baltic Sea off the coast of Sweden. Currently in China there are systems approaching 7,000 MW operating at +/- 800 kV. This presentation addresses the historic applications of HVDC transmission and leads to the modern era where significant growth in North America is being realized. This paper is a brief summary for a panel on HVDC transmission fundamentals. More detail will be available in the presentation.