Adjustable speed asynchronous machine in hydro power plants and its advantages for the electric grid stability.

The use of a static frequency converter which is inserted between the grid and the stator is a well known solution to achieve an adjustable speed machine. Adjustable speed drive systems have already been applied in the past to hydro power plants. Up to now they have mainly been used for start-up purposes of pumps or pump- turbines. The used converters were therefore rather small in respect of converter power output ( 250 MVA).