Control and Protection of Multi-Terminal DC Grids

High Voltage DC (HVDC) transmission is a long-standing technology with many installations around the world. Over the past few years, significant breakthroughs in the voltage-sourced converter technology along with their attractive features have made the HVDC technology even more promising in providing enhanced reliability and functionality and reducing cost and power losses. Concomitantly, significant changes in generation, transmission, and loads such as (i) integration and tapping renewable energy generation in remote areas, (ii) need for relocation or bypassing older conventional and/or nuclear power plants, (iii) increasing transmission capacity, and (iv) urbanization and the need to feed the large cities have emerged. These new trends have called for Multi-Terminal DC (MTDC) systems, which when embedded inside the AC grid, can enhance stability, reliability, and efficiency of the present power grid. The strategic importance of MVDC and HVDC grids is evidenced by the number of worldwide projects currently in their advanced planning stage, e.g., European “Supergrids” and the Baltic Sea project along with several projects in the US and China. This presentation is focused on opportunities brought by the MTDC grids and addressing the technical challenges associated with their operation, control and protection in future power systems. [] Room: MK435, University of Tennessee at Knoxville, Knoxville, Tennessee, United States, Virtual: https://events.vtools.ieee.org/m/420734