NC State, NYPA, and EPRI Successfully Demonstrate Megawatt-Class Solid State Transformer for Enhanced Energy Efficiency
North Carolina State University, in collaboration with the New York Power Authority (NYPA) and EPRI, has successfully designed and tested a high-efficiency solid state transformer (SST) capable of handling up to 1 MW of power under real-world conditions. This SST was demonstrated at EPRI’s laboratory in Lenox, Massachusetts, and represents the first independently verified megawatt-class solid state transformer validated on a live utility distribution feeder. The prototype was developed by NC State students and faculty. Traditional power systems use a transformer and a rectifier to convert high-voltage alternating current (AC) to lower-voltage direct current (DC), a process that is about 96% efficient, losing approximately 4% of power as heat. The new SST technology combines both functions, achieving significantly higher efficiency with only about 2% power loss. This project was initially funded by the U.S. Department of Energy’s Transportation Technologies Office, with NYPA also contributing to the SST's c... 
