Chief Scientist of China Southern Power Grid
The Academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering
Hong Rao is currently the Chief Scientist of China Southern Power Grid (CSG), and the Director of State Key Laboratory of HVDC Transmission Technology. He also works as the China Regular Member (RM) of CIGRE SC B4 and the General Secretary of HVDC and Power Electronics Committee of Chinese Society of Electrical Engineering. He has been dedicated to HVDC project design, construction and HVDC R&D for over 30 years. He worked as the chief designer and project manager in development of the first ±800 kV UHVDC Yunnan-Guangdong (Yunguang) project in the world, the principal researcher and project manager of the world first Multi-terminal VSC-HVDC Project (MTDC) in Nan’ao Island. He proposed numerous solutions in operation of AC/DC hybrid bulk power systems and HVDC system construction. In recent years, he conducts the R&D of high-voltage, large capacity, and hybrid MTDC-HVDC with an ongoing HVDC project of ±800kV/8000MW/5000MW/3000MW. He is the academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, and received the first and second prizes of the National Science and Technology Progress Award as the first awardee. He is also the winner of IEEE PES UNO LAMM HVDC AWARD and the Ho Leung Ho Lee Foundation Mechanical and Electric Technology Prize.
CIGRE Technical Vice-President
IEEE Life Fellow
2014 CIGRE Medal
Marcio Szechtman was the Eletrobras Chief Transmission Officer 2019 - 2023 and the CIGRE Technical Council Chair 2018 - 2024. He has been involved in HVDC technology since the 1970’s till now. He was the Director General of CEPEL – Brazilian Center for Electric Energy Research between 2017 and 2019. Between 1997 and 2016, he worked as a consultant in Brazil, India, Colombia, Ireland, Canada, Pakistan, Chile and Peru, in the areas of AC/DC power transmission and electrical transmission regulation. He was deeply involved in many HVDC projects in Brazil and in Inda. From 1975 to 1996 he worked as Researcher at Cepel. He received the IEEE Uno Lamm Medal in 2009 for his contributions to the HVDC transmission area and in 2014 received the CIGRE Gold Medal for his contributions to electrical engineering. Between 2002 to 2008 he Chair the CIGRE Study Committee B4 - HVDC and Power Electronics.
Professor and Vice President of Tsinghua University
Rong Zeng, Professor and Vice President of Tsinghua University, recipient of the National Outstanding Youth Fund, National Science and Technology Innovation Leading Talent, CSEE Fellow, lET Fellow, He is mainly engaged in teaching and research on power electronic devices and key equipment of DC grid, electromagnetic transients and its protection in AC/DC power system. He has led multiple scientific research projects, including the National Key R&D Program and the National Natural Science Foundation of China. He has been granted more than 100 invention patents and published over 300 papers. He has co founded the English journal 《High Voltage》, and served as the deputy editor in chief. He has won one second prize of the National Technology Invention Award, two second prizes of the National Science and Technology Progress Award, lET 2021 E&T Innovation Awards, IEEE EMC Technical Achievement Award, China Electric Power Science and Technology Outstanding Contribution Award, Capital Labor Medal. etc.
Prof. Emeritus of Hanyang University
JAYOON KOO received a bachelor's degree from Seoul National University in 1975 in Korea, a Master's degree from ENSEEIHT in 1980, and a Dr. Eng. from ENSIEG in 1984; his post-doctor was done at the EDF R&D Center at Renardière in France. Since March 1988, he has served as a professor at the electrical engineering department of Hanyang University till Feb. 2016 and now become a professor emeritus.His leadership roles in ClGRE are a testament to his standing in the industry. His significant contributions were recognized with the prestigious Honorary Member Award of CIGRE in 2021. His exceptional work was further acknowledged when he was selected as one of the two awardees of the 2024 CIGRE Medal this May. In October 2022, he became an editorial board member of ELECTRA, demonstrating his ongoing commitment to promoting technical publications from AORC. He also received the Hans Prinz Award of ISH at ISH 2023, held in Glasgow, further solidifying his reputation in high-voltage engineering.In June 2010, he was appointed as the Chairman of KOREC (Korean Electricity Regulatory Commission), affiliated with the Ministry of Knowledge Economy. He served as the President of KlEE (Korea Institute of Electrical Engineers) in 2012, in addition to as the Outside board member of KEPCO (Sept.2014~Dec. 2017).
Deputy Director of UHV Division of SGCC
Deputy director of UHV Division of SGCC, professor-level senior engineer, deputy director of HVDC transmission and power electronics committee of China Institute of Electrical Engineering, and deputy director of standardization technical committee of HVDC transmission in power industry. He has been engaged in research and construction work in the field of HVDC for a long time, has participated in and organized technology research and engineering construction for more than ten UHVDC transmission and VSC-HVDC transmission projects both at home and abroad.
University of Tokyo
Professor
Akiko Kumada received the B. Eng., . Eng., and Dr. degrees in Electrical Engineering from the University of Tokyo in 1994, 1996, and 1999, respectively. After working as a research associate in the same university from 1999 to 2001, she joined the Tokyo Electric Power Company as a researcher from 2001 to 2003. Since April 2017, she has been in the University of Tokyo as a professor of electrical engineering.Her research focuses on high voltage and discharge phenomena. High voltage engineering is a fundamental technology for electric power systems, which are social infrastructure. In recent years, electric power systems are undergoing a period of great technical and institutional change with the massive introduction of renewable energy and distributed power sources high ageing of existing equipment, and the separation of power transmission and distribution.
Chief Expert of SGCC
Doctor, professor-level senior engineer, doctoral supervisor, and expert of government special allowance under the State Council. Long-term engaged in technical research and development, achievement transformation and engineering application of HVDC transmission technology, high-power power electronics and its test technology, and continued to carry out research and application of core technologies and equipment of DC power grid, providing core power equipment support for large-scale new energy consumption, smart city and new power system construction.He is the general manager and deputy secretary of the Party Committee of Nanjing Electric Control Branch of NARI Technology Co., Ltd. the director of Beijing DC transmission and distribution engineering technology research center, a member of CIGRE B4 China Expert Committee,IEC member and a chartered engineer of IET. He hosted and completed more than 30 national science and technology major projects, 973 Plan, 863 Plan, Beijing Science and Technology Commission major projects, and SGCC's science and technology projects; Participated in publishing 5 monographs, published more than 80 papers and authorized more than 100 invention patents, won the second prize of China's national technological invention and 16 provincial and ministerial science and technology awards. He was awarded the title of "Outstanding Young Engineer in Electrical Engineering in China" in 2014, awarded the title of "Young and Middle-aged Leading Talents in Scientific and Technological Innovation" by the Ministry of Science and Technology in 2017,selected into the "Ten Thousand Talents Program" of the Central Organization Department in 2018, and awarded the title of "Chief Expert" by SGCC in 2023.