About the book and the author
George N. Alexandrov, Doctor of Technical Science, Professor, Correspondent Member of Russian Academy of Sciences, Director of the Chair of Electrical and Electronic Apparatus, IEEE Fellow.

Dr. Alexandrov works for many years as the Chief of the Electrical and Electronic Apparatus Department in Saint Petersburg State Technical University - SPSTU.

The results of his activity are widely known in the world, because the super high voltage laboratory working under his guidance achieved significant success in the creation of the line structures and devices for energy transmission for the voltage value up to 2000 kV. Results were used in the creation of transmission lines (TL) 1150 kV and TL of increased transfer capability. This work led G.N. Alexandrov to the recognition of the worlds known views on the parameters of the long transmission lines. Until the last few years the surge parameters of TL were considered as the given values, which were determined by the TL structure, which became traditional. His service to science is the fact that he suggested to change TL structure in accordance with surge parameters for TL that are necessary for its better exploitation in the electroenergetic system. Such approach allowed creating TL for practically any transfer capability.
It is clear that any achievements need payment. Transmission lines of high transfer capability in the regimes with small loading create the surplus reactive capacity in the electroenergetic systems, that leads to very high voltage levels in the electrical networks. This problem is successfully solved by utilization of Controlled Shunt Reactors.

Is it easy to read and follow this book? The answer on this question depends on who will be the reader. The book is of great interest for the specialists and students in the electroenergetic area. The book reflects the theory, the problems appeared with the technical progress and the ways of solving them. Moreover the author is solving them as a prominent specialist in three areas in electroenergetic: as a specialist in the high voltage technique, as a specialist in the electrical apparatus, and as a specialist in the area of the long transmission lines. The material is given strictly, all author's conclusions are supported by mathematical computation, there is a lot of information carried out during the experimental investigations, theoretical and constructor's works. Moreover the tests were carried out on the unique equipment, which is installed only in a small number of super high voltage laboratories in the world. " Dr. Y.P. Gorjunov, Professor of the Electrical Systems and Networks Department of SPSTU.

"It is a narrow subject but very timely in that Deregulation is driving a lot of changes not before considered by the power companies in North America. ...This technology was not available to the Western world until recently. -All the power companies in N. America and those other countries where long transmission lines are a major cost/stumbling block to bulk power transmission. Over the last 50 years or so, the USSR had very limited money to do research or purchase very expensive technology from outside their country -assuming the free world would have sold it to them. As such, they had to develop their own technology to get huge amounts of power over very long transmission lines and do in simply and very inexpensively. The problem is too much impedance over long distances on the transmission line.

For Example, here in the USA, many of the long transmission lines cannot be loaded more than about 25% to 50% of their thermal capacity. If they do, they are very unstable and the voltage profiles are unacceptable. Utilities add huge series capacitors (with all their negative system problems) to lower this impedance- - but it still is not anywhere as much as the system needs.

Modern day power electronics (Flexible AC Transmission Systems = FACTS) solve this problem but at great expense and complexity. One such system I am aware of cost about $28M. The SCR controlled Reactor put forth by Dr. Alexandrov would be expected to give the end user on the order of 75% to
85% as good a solution but at under $10M. Since the reactors are essentially a big transformer, normal maintenance procedures the power companies already are accustomed to would be applicable. You might get some utility engineers to say "it is old technology" but they probably have not investigated the success Russia has had in this area - not to mention the significant potential cost savings to the hardware. If I were in a de-regulated power company - the transmission portion, where almost no $ for expansion are expected to be available, every $ that I could save up front - would be of interest to me." David Shipp, PE, Advisory Engineer, Power Systems Engineering, Cutler-Hummer.