The leading experts in the field of ultra-high voltage or UHV are to begin defining the technical and safety specifications for this promising new technology that is set to help deliver the world's increased electrical energy demands. UHV could offer a solution to the need for more electricity in a space-restricted world. Countries active in this technology include Brazil, Canada, China, Japan, Russia and the United States. 

The IEC (International Electrotechnical Commission) and CIGRE are to join forces to develop international standards for UHV to ensure the safe and efficient use of this technology, in areas likely to include reliability and maintenance, as well as defining the tests for the measurement of electromagnetic radiation from the power lines.

IEC and CIGRE agreed on the joint work at the recent international conference on UHV held in Beijing, China on July 18-21, 2007, attended by the world's leading experts on the technology.

One of today's challenges is being able to supply growing demand for large amounts of electrical energy efficiently and with a minimal impact on the environment. Often electricity is generated thousands of kilometers away from the urban populations to whom it needs to be delivered and, in the process of transmission, it loses energy.

Ultra high voltage (UHV), defined as AC voltages of 1.000 kilovolts or higher, or DC voltages of 800 kilovolts, or higher, is a highly efficient means of transmitting large quantities of power over a transmission line. This is because the higher the voltage on the line, the lower the current and therefore the lower the loss.