A collaborative UK project has achieved a significant technical breakthrough in the operation of High Voltage Direct Current (HVDC) power systems, showing for the first time that control systems from different manufacturers can operate together within a shared network.

The work was carried out by Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks (SSEN) Transmission, in partnership with GE Vernova, Mitsubishi Electric, and the National HVDC Centre, and was supported by funding from Ofgem's Network Innovation Allowance (NIA). The successful demonstration took place at the IET ACDC International Conference, where researchers showed that HVDC control and converter systems from different suppliers could be connected and operated in a coordinated way.

This development addresses a longstanding technical and commercial challenge in the deployment of offshore HVDC grids. Until now, integrating systems from multiple vendors has been limited by compatibility issues, often requiring costly infrastructure workarounds.

Nithiananthan Vejayan, project manager at SSEN Transmission, said the team's goal was to demonstrate practical interoperability to support the UK's future energy system needs. Ben Marshall of the National HVDC Centre added that the demonstration shows the approach is viable for future energy infrastructure projects and removes key barriers to collaboration across different technology providers.

Further testing is planned with additional manufacturers, including Hitachi Energy and Siemens Energy, to evaluate broader system compatibility.

Source: ssen-transmission.co.uk