Highgate HVDC back-to-back station

A 200 MW HVDC link between two radial distribution grids in Vermont and Quebec.

In April 1984 ABB received a contract for the supply of a 200 MW back-to-back HVDC converter station to Vermont Electric Power Company (VELCO). An extremely short delivery time of 17 months was required, and the station was taken into service in September 1985. An agreement had been reached between the State of Vermont and Hydro Quebec about the import of electric power, since it was planned to shut down the Vermont Yankee

Nuclear Power Station for maintenance from mid-September 1985 for a period of at least 8 months. This lead to the shortest delivery time for any HVDC project in the world. Bird's eye view of Highgate converter station

Thyristor valves at the Highgate converter station

Main data
Commissioning year:	1985
Power rating:	200 MW
No. of poles:	1
AC voltage:	120 kV (north side), 115 kV (south side)
DC voltage:	57 kV
Type of link	Back-to-back station
Main reason for choosing HVDC:	Asynchronous networks