Specialist Consultants to the electricity supply industry

Power Systems Consultants staff have been engaged on a number of HVDC projects, where they have gained a broad range of knowledge and experience on the latest HVDC technology.  PSC has been assisting ABB, the world leader in HVDC transmission, with a number of projects in several different countries.  PSC staff have been working in Ludvika, Sweden where they have been completing project design and development, China where they have been commissioning a HVDC link for the Three Gorges hydropower project, and Finland where a HVDC Light link is being commissioned.

Ludvika, Sweden

Two PSC engineers have been working in Ludvika, the HVDC factory for ABB in Sweden.  Paul Cannin worked in the HVDC main circuit design and insulation co-ordination groups.  The major projects he worked on included assisting in the preparation of the equipment specification for the Sharyland 150 MW back-to-back HVDC tie in Mission Texas and the DC Transient overvoltage studies for the SAPEI 1000MW HVDC project between Sardinia and the Italian mainland.

Kent Horan, one of PSC’s Control Engineers, worked on the new control system for a major upgrade to the Apollo end of the Cabora Bassa HVDC link in South Africa.  This project also includes the replacement of the Thyristor valves and associated equipment.  The MACH 2 control system that Kent is working on is the world’s most widely used control system for HVDC transmission and this project will enhance his skills with the latest technology in this area.

 
PSC Engineers Paul Cannin and Kent Horan prepare a HVDC control cubicle for testing

Yidu HVDC Converter Station China

Three of PSC’s Commissioning Engineers, Sarah Leask, Matt James and Mark Gilchrist, assisted ABB with commissioning at the Yidu HVDC Converter Station.  Yidu is a 3,000 MW converter station located 48 kilometers from the Three Gorges hydroelectric power plant in central China and transmits electricity 1060 kilometers to the Shanghai region.  From general commissioning of DC switchgear, converter transformers and filter equipment to detailed sub system testing and high and low power testing, PSC staff have gained a large amount of experience with the latest technology used for HVDC transmission.

 
Yidu HVDC Converter Station Filter Equipment

 
Yidu HVDC Converter Transformers and Thyristor Building

Estlink HVDC Light

Mark Gilchrist assisted ABB with the commissioning of the 350MW Estlink HVDC Light link between Finland and Estonia.  Mark has had previous experience commissioning HVDC Light equipment at Murraylink and Directlink in Australia.  Mark worked at both converter stations in Finland and Estonia to commission main circuit equipment and complete extensive control and protection testing to ensure the stations are ready for service within the required timeframe.

 
Indoor AC Yard for the Estlink HVDC Light transmission link at Espoo Finland