The automatic voltage control (AVC) system developed by Prof. Zhang Boming and Prof. Sun Hongbin from Tsinghua’s Department of Electrical Engineering has already been applied in three regional power grids and in nine provincial power grids in China. This has generated significant social benefits by ensuring the safe operation of power system within China. As a core innovative technology, AVC was selected as one of “China’s top ten Scientific and Technological Progress in Higher Education 2007”, and awarded the second prize of “National Technology Invention 2008”, and has made a significant impact on both academia and industry.

 

The collaboration between Tsinghua University and PJM can be traced back to the early 2009. PJM, which is the largest U.S. power grid company as well as the world's largest regional power grid company, is responsible for the safe operation of the power grid and electricity markets in the U.S. capital Washington DC and in the eastern 13 states. It is recognized as the leader of power technology in North America and even around the world. The first phase of the cooperation "PJM power grid automatic voltage control system" (a study into implementing AVC technology with the PJM grid system) has already been completed sucessfully. In the second phase of the cooperation, the AVC system, for which Tsinghua University owns independent intellectual property rights, will be installed in the PJM power grid and put into the test operation. This will be the first AVC system installed in the U. S. power grid, and is also the first successful case of transfer of China's advanced power grid control technology to the U.S. Following the successful implementation of this test system, the plan for the third phase of cooperation will be full scale commercial operation of AVC technology in the PJM electricity market.