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High Voltage DC Transmission Systems

HVDC

  • Book
  • Dec 2025

Overview

Editors:
  1. Bjarne R. Andersen

    1. Study Committee B4, CIGRE, East Sussex, United Kingdom

  2. Stig L. Nilsson

    1. Study Committee B4, CIGRE, Sedona, USA

  • Describes the State of the Art for HVDC transmission systems
  • Explains AC/DC power conversion technologies and their benefits and limitations
  • Covers environmental issues, cost benefit analysis and lifetime performance of HVDC systems

Part of the book series: CIGRE Green Books (CIGREGB)

Buy print copy

About this book

This comprehensive guide explores every stage of an HVDC project - from identifying the need for a scheme through to final decommissioning. It includes discussions of:

  • Comparisons between AC and HVDC transmission systems
  • Integration of HVDC systems into AC networks;
  • Suggested planning and important scoping studies;
  • Cost-benefit analysis and project specifications;
  • Environmental considerations and operational requirements;
  • Detailed component descriptions; and
  • Project commissioning, implementation and lifetime reliability monitoring.

The book describes current AC-to-DC and DC-to-AC conversion technologies, their application within HVDC systems, and the challenges and advantages they present. This thorough and comprehensive analysis makes High Voltage DC Transmission Systems ideal for electrical engineers new to HVDC, as well as those seeking deeper expertise.

Readers who would like to comment on any of the published books or identify errors or significant omissions to the editorial team please contact: cigregreenbooks@springer.com.


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Editors and Affiliations

  • Study Committee B4, CIGRE, East Sussex, United Kingdom

    Bjarne R. Andersen

  • Study Committee B4, CIGRE, Sedona, USA

    Stig L. Nilsson

About the editors

CIGRE Study Committee B4 deals with High Voltage Direct Current (HVDC) and Power Electronic (PE) in transmission networks. In an HVDC Transmission system, converter stations are used to convert AC to DC and vice versa at the connection points in the ac network(s), energy is then transmitted from generation stations to load centers through a long distance overhead line and/or cables between the converter stations. HVDC systems can also provide interconnectivity between side-by-side asynchronous ac networks.  Study Committee B4 also addresses DC and PE for other applications such as distribution systems, DC Converters for the integration of distributed renewable generation (PVs and wind) and energy storage as well as power quality enhancement. Presently there are two main HVDC technologies: thyristor based Line Commutated Converter HVDC (LCC-HVDC), and transistor such as IGBT based Voltage Sourced Converter HVDC (VSC-HVDC). 
 
Dr. Bjarne R. Andersen is the Director and Owner of Andersen Power Electronic Solutions Limited, which was established in 2003. Before becoming an independent consultant, he 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 re-locatable SVCs concept. Dr. Andersen 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 multi-terminal operation permitting multi-vendor access. Dr. Andersen was the Chairman of Cigré SC 14 from 2008 to 2014 and initiated several working groups in the area of HVDC Grids. He is an Honorary member of Cigré, and was the 2012 recipient of the prestigious IEEE PES Uno Lamm Award for his contributions towards HVDC technology. Dr. Andersen was the Editor of ‘Flexible AC Transmission Systems: FACTS’. 
 
Stig Nilsson began his career working for the Swedish State Telephone Board with carrier communication systems. Following this, he worked for ASEA for 11 years (now ABB) with HVDC systems where he was involved with system studies for the first HVDC link on New Zealand and later he became the Control Systems Engineer for the ASEA-GE Pacific HVDC Intertie project on USA’s West Coast. At the end of this project he began working for Boeing with computer system developments and then for almost 20 years with EPRI in USA where he led many research and development (R&D) projects associated with HVDC systems and components. Prior to joining Exponent in year 2000, he was an independent consultant and later a VP in the Silicon Power Corporation, which manufactured high power semiconductor devices and medium voltage equipment for electric utility applications. Mr 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. He has been the US Representative and Secretary of CIGRE Study Committee B4 on HVDC and Power Electronics. He is the recipient of the 2012 I.E. 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.

Accessibility Information

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Bibliographic Information

  • Book Title: High Voltage DC Transmission Systems

  • Book Subtitle: HVDC

  • Editors: Bjarne R. Andersen, Stig L. Nilsson

  • Series Title: CIGRE Green Books

  • Publisher: Springer Cham

  • eBook Packages: Energy, Reference Module Computer Science and Engineering

  • Copyright Information: Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2026

  • Hardcover ISBN: 978-3-031-27352-0Due: 06 January 2026

  • eBook ISBN: 978-3-031-27353-7Due: 06 January 2026

  • Series ISSN: 2367-2625

  • Series E-ISSN: 2367-2633

  • Edition Number: 1

  • Number of Pages: XX, 2323

  • Number of Illustrations: 261 b/w illustrations, 668 illustrations in colour

Keywords

  • High Voltage Direct Current
  • HVDC
  • Thyristor
  • Insulated-Gate Bipolar Transistor
  • IGBT
  • Monopole HVDC
  • Bipole HVDC
  • Reactive Power
  • Overhead Lines and Cables
  • Commutation Failure

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