HVDC > HVDC Development > 50 years of HVDC 1954 - 2004
In 2004 it was 50 years since the first commercial high voltage direct current (HVDC) transmission in the world was commissioned. It was the 100 kV, 20 MW submarine cable from the Swedish mainland to the island of Gotland in the Baltic Sea.
 | The Gotland HVDC project was the beginning of a successful technology where ABB is the undisputed world leader. In total 70,000 MW HVDC transmission capacity is installed in 95 projects all over the world. ABB has supplied the converter stations to 50 of these projects with a total |
transmission capacity of more than 40,000 MW. ABB is also the world leader in HVDC cable manufacturing.
2004-05-06 celebration at Visby, Gotland:
ABB marks 50th anniversary of pioneering HVDC technology
Video film ( 5:25 min.) about the HVDC history
Article in ABB Review 4/2003: "50 years of HVDC "
| Part 1: ABB - from pioneer to world leader | Part 2: The semiconductor 'takeover' |