The 22nd IET International Conference on AC and DC Power Transmission (ACDC) took place from April 28th to 29th, 2026, in Berlin (Germany). The conference brought together power system specialists, industry experts, and researchers to exchange knowledge on the latest developments, applications, and projects related to AC and DC power transmission technologies.
Four Inter-oPEn doctoral candidates joined global experts to discuss the future of high-voltage transmission and the evolution of power grids. The doctoral candidates contributed to the conference with the following presentations:
“DC-Side Stability Assessment Methods for Multi-Vendor VSC-Based HVDC Systems: A Review and Applicability Analysis” by Musa Mathew (RWTH IAEW).
This work investigates various stability assessment methods to identify a suitable approach for DC-side stability in multi-vendor HVDC systems.
“Integrating Dynamic Braking Chopper into DC Circuit Breaker for HVDC Systems“ by Ali Sajjadi (RWTH ACS).
In this article, the authors explained how the functionalities of DC fault interruption and AC Fault Ride-Through (AC-FRT) can be combined into a single, integrated device to achieve significant cost reductions. Key Takeaway: For future multi-vendor DC switchgear projects, Transmission System Operators (TSOs) will need to carefully rethink whether separating tenders for choppers and DC Circuit Breakers (DCCBs) remains the most cost-effective approach.
“Review of Multi-Vendor Interoperability in HVDC Grids” by Gerald Cham Kpu (KTH) and Abdolhamid Farshadi (TUBS).
This work provides a comprehensive review of multi-vendor interoperability in HVDC grids, highlighting the challenges and multi-stakeholder procedures used to achieve interoperability.
“Compositional Specification of DC Protection Subsystems with Interface Contracts”, co-authored by Abdolhamid Farshadi (TUBS).
This paper introduces a contract-based design methodology for specifying DC protection subsystems, enabling a clear definition of interdependencies between subsystems without constraining proprietary vendor implementations.
During the two-day event, the doctoral candidates engaged in technical discussions on the challenges of integrating multi-vendor assets and ensuring interoperability. They furthermore participated in networking sessions with researchers and industry professionals and concluded the conference with a technical visit to the Siemens Energy switchgear factory.