Development of research capacity in HVDC technology in southern Africa

High voltage direct current (HVDC) schemes are increasingly being applied world-wide to deliver large amounts of power over long distances. Two of such schemes are in Africa. It is envisaged that in the next 5-10 years, the continent will an additional HVDC scheme, delivering power to the southern Africa region, from central Africa. Many of the utilities in the SADC region have limited skills and experience in HVDC technology. So it is essential to build capacity in this field, to enable the utilities to manage the technology. The HVDC centre was established at the University of KwaZulu-Natal for the purpose of capacity building through research and training. This paper discusses the development and management of the centre with regard its develop objectives.