John J. Vithayathil

Widely recognized as an expert of high-voltage dc transmission, Dr. John J. Vithayathil also has made key contributions to HVac transmission, including the invention of the Rapid Adjustment of Network Impedance (RANI) scheme. Later known as the thyristor-controlled series capacitor system, this development helped improve stability and increase capacity in ac transmission systems. Dr. Vithayathil’s work also has advanced HVdc technologies in the areas of simulation techniques, harmonics, metallic return transfer breakers, HVdc breakers, and transformerless converters. He has led numerous HVdc projects, including two decades of service at the Bonneville Power Administration in Oregon.

A Fellow of the IEEE and a member of the National Academy of Engineering, he has written many articles and holds a number of patent