IEEE Power & Energy Magazine - September/October 2017 - 94

TransBay Cable project, which was the
first to use Siemens' modular multilevel converter topology, and the INELFE
project connecting France and Spain
utilizing two symmetrical monopoles,
each with a capacity of 1,000 MW.

Work at ASEA
Lamm's early technological contributions can be traced back to when he was
a young electrical engineer employed
by ASEA. Founded in 1883 and later
merged with a Swedish national electrical power company, ASEA was one
of Europe's most important electrical
production and distribution innovators
for approximately 100 years. Today, it
is an international holding company.
After receiving his master's degree
and serving in the Swedish military,
Lamm joined ASEA's training program
in 1928. The young apprentice proved
his worth that year, obtaining a patent to

improve the voltage capacity on a mercury-arc valve. Biographical documents
by W.R. Gould reflect, "His first assignments were in mechanical assembly in
what today we would call the blue-collar
sector of the work force. Here he learned
'hands on' the business of producing a
product that had been conceived, designed, and planned by engineers."
Quickly moving up the ranks at
ASEA's Ludvika manufacturing complex, in 1929 Lamm was appointed to
ASEA's newly created Rectifier Department. The department would ultimately
create the first HV mercury-arc valve
and make modern HVdc transmission
economically feasible. At the time, valves
operated at 2,500 V, well below the
level required to transmit large amounts
of electricity. Over the next 20 years,
Lamm and ASEA engineers worked to
improve upon the three-phase ac used
for power transmission.

In addition to his breakthrough performance on the HVdc Gotland project,
Lamm worked on numerous projects
that helped shape the world's energy
and HVdc transmission future. In 1955,
he organized the nuclear engineering
effort for ASEA's Vasteras headquarters. He was also ASEA's representative
on the board of directors of the Swedish
state-financed Atomic Energy Company. During his tenure on the board,
Sweden's first nuclear reactors went into
commercial operation. In the 1980s,
more than 50% of Sweden's electricity
was provided by nuclear energy. However, political and environmental controversies ultimately led to Sweden's decision
to phase out nuclear production.
In 1961, Lamm was appointed head
of the ASEA team in the United States
to build the Pacific DC Intertie. The
transmission had the highest power,
voltage, and strength of any ac or dc power

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Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of IEEE Power & Energy Magazine - September/October 2017