Development of synchronous generators for Swedish hydropower: A review

The development of large-scale hydropower in Sweden started around 1900 when the Swedish government considered replacing of steam engine power with power from water falls, especially for utilization in railway operation. The hydropower development extends more than hundred years. Most of the Swedish hydropower was built in 1950s and 1960s. Due to the advancing age of installations, Sweden is facing an extensive refurbishment work in the upcoming decades. A large variety of individual designs exist among hydroelectric generators. The generator design has constantly strived for more compact and cost-effective constructions and this has resulted in a constant increase in the unit size. This paper describes the evolution of hydropower generators in Sweden. The development of assembling, stator insulation, cooling and materials used are described.