2008-12-01

Opportunity to participate on a committee to develop standards for High Voltage Direct Current (HVDC) Transmission for DC voltages above 100kV (IEC TC 115)

The Standards Council of Canada (SCC) is seeking interested stakeholders to participate on its Canadian committee for the development of a new international standard High Voltage Direct Current (HVDC) Transmission for DC voltages above 100kV.

With today's energy shortages, one of the challenges facing governments and utilities is to supply large amounts of electrical energy for growing populations in the most efficient way, with minimal impact on the environment.  Many countries, particularly those with large land masses, face the challenge of getting electricity from power generating stations thousands of kilometres away to the urban populations that rely on it. UHV (Ultra High Voltage) offers the potential to meet this challenge.

UHV is defined as voltages of 1 000 kV alternating current, or higher, and 800 kV direct current, or higher. It is needed both to deliver large quantities of power over very long distances with the least loss of power and to deliver large quantities of power to cities using a minimum of transmission lines.

International Standards for UHV do not yet exist. They need to be developed to ensure the safe and efficient use of this technology. It is a technical challenge for manufacturers and utilities and, ultimately, a regulatory issue for governments.

Scope of work

The standard will address a number of requirements including, but not limited to:

• Design;
• Stability;
• Technical specifications and test methods for HVDC facilities; and
• Operation, maintenance and evaluation criteria for reliability of HVDC transmission systems.

Deadline for submission

Interested parties should submit their Curriculum Vitae along with a statement outlining their ability to contribute to the work of the committee by December 21, 2008.

Benefits of Participation

• Provides participants with relevant information on emerging trends and changing practices;
• Exposes committee members to the expertise and research of organizations within similar sectors. This increased knowledge translates into enhanced designs and new ideas;
• Provides individuals with opportunities to gain valuable skills and knowledge; and
• Incorporating voluntary standards into regulation lessens the burden of regulatory compliance on industry, and allows governments to contribute to increased economic growth and competitiveness.

For more information on this committee or to submit your curriculum vitae, contact Ms. Loise deSilva, Secretary of the Canadian National Committee of the IEC, Standards Council of Canada:

• Telephone: 613 238 3222  ext. 446
• Email: [email protected]

The Standards Council of Canada is a Crown corporation with the mandate to promote efficient and effective voluntary standardization.  For more information on our programs, visit www.scc.ca or e-mail [email protected].