Flexible AC Transmission Systems

CIGRE Study Committee B4 deals with High Voltage Direct Current (HVDC) Transmission and Power Electronics for use in Transmission and Distribution Networks. In a HVDC Transmission system converter, stations are used to convert AC into DC and vice versa at the connection points in the ac network(s). An HVDC system provides an asynchronous link between the ac network terminals. As there is no reactive power flow on the dc link between the converter stations, it is possible to have very long cable and overhead lines between the stations, without the need for intermediate stations. Today there are two main technologies: thyristor based, Line Commutated Converter HVDC (LCC HVDC), and IGBT based Voltage Sourced Converter HVDC (VSC HVDC).

Bjarne R. Andersen is the director and owner of Andersen Power Electronic Solutions Limited, which was established in 2003. Before becoming an independent consultant, Bjarne worked for 36 years for what is now GE Grid, where his final role was as Director of Engineering. He was involved with the development of the first chain link STATCOM and the relocatable SVCs concept. Bjarne has extensive experience in all stages of LCC and VSC HVDC projects. As a consultant he has worked on several international HVDC projects, including the Caprivi Link, the first commercial VSC HVDC project to use an HVDC overhead line and a VSC HVDC project for multiterminal operation permitting multi-vendor access.

Bjarne was the Chairman of CIGRE SC 14 from 2008 to 2014 and initiated several working groups in the area of HVDC Grids. He is an honorary member of CIGRE and was the 2012 recipient of the prestigious IEEE PES Uno Lamm Award.

Stig L. Nilsson, Principal Engineer, Exponent, Inc., USA., started out working for the Swedish State Telephone Board with carrier communication systems. Following this, he worked for ASEA (now ABB) with HVDC systems and for Boeing with computer system developments. During his 20 years with EPRI in USA he initiated in 1979 the development of digital protective relaying system developments and in 1986 EPRI's FACTS initiative. In 1991 he was awarded a patent on Apparatus for Controlling the Reactive Impedance of a Transmission Line. Stig Nilsson is a Life Fellow of IEEE. He has chaired the IEEE PES T&D Committee, the IEEE Herman Halperin Electric Transmission and Distribution Award Committee, the IEEE PES Nari Hingorani Facts and Custom Power Awards Committee, several IEEE Fellow nomination review committees, been a member of the IEEE Standards Board, IEEE PES subcommittees and working groups. Stig Nilsson has been the US Representative and Secretary of Cigre Study Committee B4 on HVDC and Power Electronics. He is the recipient of the 2012 IEEE PES Nari Hingorani Facts and Custom Power Awards. He received the Cigre U.S. National Committee Philip Sporn Award and the Cigre Technical Committee Award in 2012. He has also received the Cigre Distinguished Member Award for active participation in Cigre Study Committees and the USNC of Cigre (2006); and the Cigre USNC Attwood Associate Award in 2003. Stig Nilsson is a registered Professional Engineer in the state of California, USA.