The advantages and disadvantages of using

HVDC to interconnect AC networks

Hualei Wang M.A. Redfern
University of Bath University of Bath
hlw29@bath.ac.uk m.a.redfern@bath.ac.uk

Abstract – The traditional design of the power system involves
generators which are sited far from the demand. The increasing
use of renewable energy resources is continuing this system and
is introducing new challenges in power transmission in terms of
reliably and efficiently. Interconnection with these power
systems is making the grid becoming more complex.
The appearance of HVDC system gives engineers alternative
for power transmission. The use of HVDC transmission
technology is well known and has benefits in the following areas;
bulk electricity delivery, long-distance transmission,
asynchronous interconnections, transmission costs and
environment.
This paper will give a brief introduction of HVDC system and
discuss the advantages and disadvantages of HVDC systems.
Two new HVDC applications in China and Indian are
introduced together with an insight into the offshore DC grid in
the North Sea.
Keywords – Power transmission, HVDC, stability, reliability,
system interconnection.
I. INTRODUCTION
High Voltage Direct Current (HVDC) transmission system
is widely recognized as having technical, economical and
environmental benefits since its first commercial project
introduced in Sweden in 1950s. HVDC transmission system
has technical advantages in producing an asynchronous
interconnection and long-distance bulk power delivery.
Increasing numbers of HVDC projects over the world shows
HVDC technology plays a more and more important role in
the world's power transmission system.
HVDC links are expected to play an increasing role in
modern power transmission systems and involve new
challenges for engineers.
economy of the connected AC networks.” [2].
Fig.1 shows the basic HVDC system. The HVDC connects
two AC systems. At the sending end, AC power is fed into a
converter that operating as a rectifier. The output of the
rectifier is DC power which will be transmit through
conducting medium, a overhead line, cable or a short distance
busbar, to a second converter which is operated as inverter.
The DC power is transferred to AC power at the receiving
end [3].
From fig.1, the d.c. current is defied by Idc which can be
calculated as
uf − ui
Idc =
R (1)
Where:
Idc is the current along the DC transmission line
Uf is the voltage at the rectifier
Ui is the voltage at the inverter
R is the resistance along the transmission line.
The converter station could be used as either rectifier or
inverter. When converting AC to DC, the converter is called
rectifier. When converting DC to AC, the converter is called
inverter.
The power transmission direction could be bidirectional.
When Uf>Ui, the power is transmitted from rectifier side to
inverter side, while when Uf<Ui the power direction is on the
contrary.

II. HVDC SYSTEM

The HVDC transmission system, High Voltage Direct
Current transmission system, is widely used to transmit long
distance bulk power and connect two separate AC systems.
The world’s first commercial HVDC application using in a
transmission link between Swedish mainland and the island
of Gotland was built in 1954 with a rating of 20MW [1].
“In a HVDC system, electricity is taken from an AC power
network, converted to DC in a converter station and
transmitted to the receiving point by a transmission line or
cable. It is then converted back to AC in another converter Fig.1 The basic HVDC system
station and injected into the receiving AC network. HVDC
enables the power flow to be controlled rapidly and A. Commutation methods
accurately, and improves the performance, efficiency and Rudervall et al [4] have described that there are 3 ways to
achieve AC to DC conversation and vice versa. There are: 3000MW. Fig.4 shows the monopolar HVDC which has one
1. Natural Commutated Converters high voltage line to transmit the current, with the return path
This is most used in HVDC systems today. Connecting via ground or a LV conductor. The rating is up to 1500MW.
thyristors in series to build up a thyristor device, which can
carry high currents, 4000A, and is able to block high voltage,
up to 10kV, enables this conversion process rapidly and
efficiently.
2. Capacitor Commutated Converters (CCC)
By using commutation capacitors inserted in series
between the converter transformers and the thyristor valves to
improve the commutation failure performance.
3. Forced Commutated Converters.
Andersen [5] added another two conversation technologies:
4. Line-commutated current-sourced converter (LCC HVDC)
5. Self-commutated voltage sourced converters (VSC
Transmission)
Both commutation technologies convert AC to DC before
transmission and using direct current for transmission, which
means there is no reactive power along the DC transmission
line, therefore, there is no technical limit to the transmission
distance. At the far end of transmission line, the DC is
converted to AC.

B. Transmission medium
Overhead lines are used all over the world in transmission Fig.3 Bipolar HVDC
systems. HVDC lines are normally used for long distance,
from 300 to 1400km, or submarine cables which have a high
capacitance [6,7]. Fig.2 shows long distance and sea cable
HVDC transmission systems.

Fig.4 Monopolar HVDC

III. SIGNIFICANT CHARACTERISTICS OF HVDC

HVDC transmission system has significant advantages as

following:

Fig.2 Long distance and sea cable HVDC transmission systems [7]
According to Siemens, the following basic configurations
are the most commonly used in HVDC projects which shown
in Fig.3 and Fig.4 separately. Fig.3 presents bipolar HVDC
which has two dc lines for transmission and the rating is up to
A. Interconnection of power networks [8-16]
The significant advantage of HVDC systems is that it
could be used as a tie line to interconnect separate AC
networks. When two separately asynchronous ac systems, for
example where one operates at a frequency of 50Hz and the
other at 60Hz or where the two systems are operated at the
same frequency but different phase angles, using DC link to
connect the two ac systems is the only practical method. DC
power is independent of the frequency and relative phase of
the power systems. The HVDC interconnection between two
ac systems will not suffer from power swings and risk of
tripping arising from overload. HVDC interconnection’s
performance is much better than ac interconnection.
HVDC asynchronous interconnection also has very good
protection effect about outages transmit through power
networks. August 14 2003, the blackout in Northeast America
gives an example of protection effect from HVDC link [11,
14]. HVDC link prevented the outage developing past the
asynchronous interconnection interface with Quebec when
outage propagated through Qntario and New York [11].
A HVDC interconnection between power networks
enhances power systems in capacity, controllability and
improves power delivery rate. With HVDC interconnections,
transmitting additional power through the AC systems can be
achieved, which produces a mean to improve systems
capacity. Based on a constant power transfer, it is easy to
control active power in HVDC link [3, 18].
B. Economics
For the same transmission capacity, HVDC transmission
lines cost less than HVAC transmission lines in the same
length. Fig.5 [19] shows the investment costs for and
overhead line transmission with AC and HVDC.
Fig.5 HVDC-HVAC cost from [19]
As can be seen from Fig.5, above a certain distance, the
break-even-distance, the costs of HVDC transmission line are
much smaller than AC transmission line. A bipolar system
only has two lines compared to three lines in an AC system
which results in a smaller cost in tower design and construct
for delivering the same capacity power. The Three Gorges
Project in China would require 5 x 500kV ac lines compared
to the 2 x ±500kV, 3000MW bipolar HVDC lines used [13].
Savings also could be found in control and maintenance
devices costs [12].
C. Long distance bulk power delivery
HVDC has a good performance in long distance bulk
power delivery with underground and submarine cables. It
can transfer more power in fewer lines than in AC system
under the same situation. In an ac system the reactive power
flow which caused by the cable resistance limits the
transmission distance and adds costs [12, 20]. Furthermore,
reactive power compensation is needed in ac transmission
system for long distance power delivery. Unlike the case of
ac transmission, HVDC system performs better. Lower line
losses and economic benefits make HVDC a better
alternative for long-distance power delivery. Using
underground and submarine cables, there is no distance
limitation for power delivery and about a half the line losses
of comparable ac system [11]. HVDC transmission system is
considered to be a better choice for connecting offshore wind
farms to grid or delivering power from remote resources to
large Urban areas. [14]
D. Environmental benefits
To connect different ac systems by HVDC links effectively
means there is no need to build new power stations
additionally near to the demand locations. Ref [13]
highlighted that there is no induction or alternating
electro-magnetic fields form HVDC transmission. No skin
effects, effective cable transmission and lower losses ensure
that there are less environmental impacts.
IV. DISADVANTAGES OF HVDC
A. Cost
As can be seen from Fig.7, the highest cost in constructing
HVDC transmission system is spent on power electronics and
converter transformers.
Fig.6 Cost structure [5]
To build a converter station is much more expensive than
an ordinary ac substation of similar rating because a better
technical performance of a HVDC system needs many more
components [5].
B. Harmonics overhead capacity [17]. Fig.9 provides an over view of the
All electronic converters produce harmonics during the project.
conversion process. In modern HVDC systems, the number
of connected converters increased, the harmonics are also
increased [5]. Harmonics will affect power quality, electronic
devices and even lead to system oscillation [16]. The
harmonics are recognized as one of the biggest problems in
HVDC systems.

C. Integration of HVDC system into ac networks

Connecting a HVDC system to an ac system is a
challenging project. In HVDC systems, the large ac harmonic
filters can cause significant over voltages during fault
recovery [5]. However, HVDC system gives good
performance of fault protection in power networks.

D. Stability of the networks

In the future, power grids are expected have more and
more HVDC interconnections. The interactions between
these multiple HVDC schemes will become more important.
Communication failures between these HVDC schemes may Fig.8 Indian HVDC upgrade project
result in system instability [5].
VI. FUTURE HVDC FOR CONNECT RENEWABLE
V. EXAMPLES OF HVDC APPLICATIONS OVER THE ENERGY RESOURCES IN EUROPE
WORLD
The growth using of offshore wind farms and other
A. World's first 800kV HVDC transmission project renewable power stations that need to be connected to the
In 2007, the South China Power Company began to large grid makes the future power networks to be more
construct a ±800kV HVDC system between the province complex and gives more challenges.
Yunnan and the province Guangdong in South of China with
the capacity of 5000MW. This is the world's first ±800kV DC
transmission project [17]. Fig.8 gives the overview of the
project.

Fig.9 Future HVDC integrates renewable energy resource in Europe

Several of the problems with ac power lines could be

solved by using HVDC system. Fig.10 shows the possible use
of HVDC links interconnect large renewable energy
Fig.7 World's first 800kV HVDC project in south of China
resources in Europe [17]. Such technical advantages like
long-distance power delivery with economic benefits,
B. The South-East HVDC projects in Indian
asynchronous ties and environment friendly make HVDC
In 2006, Power Grid Cooperation of Indian decided to
system alterative to the world’s power transmission systems.
increase the transmission capacity in Southeast of Indian
Increasing numbers of HVDC projects over the world
from 2000MW to 2500MW at the rating of ±500kV. This
show that engineers are more interest in this technology.
project is now online. This upgrade project made the power
system more efficient and the maximum use of the system’s
 VII. CONCLUSION [19] ABB: HVDC transmission for lower investment cost [online]. Available
from:
http://www.abb.com/industries/db0003db004333/678bb83d3421169dc12574
HVDC was first introduced in the 1950s. It produced many 81004a4284.aspx [Accessed 9 March 2010]
advantages including the interconnection of asynchronous [20] ABB: HVDC cable transmissions for long distance water crossing
networks, economic benefits, long-distance bulk power [online]. Available from:
http://www.abb.com/industries/db0003db004333/1720aca1b49de5fac125748
delivery and environmental benefits. 100499ca9.aspx [Accessed 9 March 2010]
Recently there have been world’s first ±800kV HVDC
project in South China and an appeared HVDC transmission
project in Indian.
The growth in offshore wind farms and other renewable
power stations in Europe in the future will lead to a new
power grid and this is expected to be HVDC.

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