Superconducting generators for utility power systems

The concept of a superconducting ac generator for utility power system applications has been of interest for a number of years, but it has not been until recently that definitive feasibility studies have been made. Although these studies are not yet complete, it appears that among the advantages to be accrued will be reduced size and weight, higher efficiency, lower capital cost, and greater stability. In addition to these detailed design programs at Westinghouse and General Electric, the Electric Power Research Institute is sponsoring exploratory research for even more advanced generating concepts at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Case Western Reserve University, and Battelle Pacific Northwest Laboratories. If successful, the ac superconducting generator may well be the first large scale commercial application of superconductivity. In part, this is because the anticipated advantages should occur at present power generation levels (∼1000 MVA), rather than at future power levels.