The First 90 Years of the BME High Voltage Laboratory

The establishment of the laboratory was initiated by Professor László Verebélÿ in the 1930s, in response to the rapid development of electric power systems and the growing demand for high-voltage testing. The predecessor of the High Voltage Laboratory operated in the Technical University's FE building from 1936, where a then state-of-the-art 250 kV test transformer, and later a 1 MV impulse voltage generator, were put into service.

The laboratory's walls were painted black so that corona discharges could be observed clearly, and the acquisition of the equipment was made possible by the support of several industrial companies. From the very beginning, the research and teaching carried out here were closely connected to the development of the Hungarian electric power system.

During World War II, the laboratory's equipment was threatened with removal. Thanks to the resolute intervention of László Verebélÿ, however, the most important equipment remained at the Technical University and survived the siege of Budapest as well. Following the war, teaching and research resumed quickly under the professor's leadership, so that not a single semester had to be skipped at the Technical University.

The move carried out between 1959 and 1961 opened a new era in the life of the laboratory. The modern hall built next to building V1 already served the growing educational and research needs.

Professor János Eisler played a defining role in the development of the new laboratory, laying the foundations of domestic insulation technology research and launching the scientific workshop for non-destructive testing of insulating materials. The research school that emerged here achieved internationally recognized results.

From the 1970s onward, significant technical developments took place in the laboratory. The 600 kV test transformer and the 750 kV impulse voltage generator were added alongside its existing major equipment, making it possible to carry out tests related to modern electric power systems.

Under the leadership of Professor Tibor Horváth, world-class research began in the fields of lightning protection, surge protection, and high-voltage insulation. Several scientific schools took shape in the laboratory, including the Lightning and Surge Protection School, the Insulation Diagnostics School, the Industrial Electrostatics School, and the Live-Line Working School.

Over the years, research activity expanded to include the diagnostics of electrical insulation, electrostatic technologies, environmental protection, and electrical safety technology as well.

In the early 2000s, the survival of the laboratory faced serious challenges. Hungarian energy companies, however, clearly stood by the laboratory, recognizing its irreplaceable role in education, research and the training of professionals.

As a result, a comprehensive renovation was carried out in 2012 with the support of industrial partners. The laboratory's infrastructure was renewed, the measurement systems were modernized, and new research and teaching opportunities opened up. Following the renovation, Hungary's largest Tesla transformer was also commissioned in the laboratory.

Today the laboratory serves simultaneously as an educational, research and industrial testing center. Hundreds of students carry out laboratory measurements here as part of their bachelor's, master's and doctoral studies, while high-voltage and insulation diagnostic tests are carried out for domestic and international industrial partners.

The 20 kV and 400 kV live-line working (FAM) training tracks built in the laboratory play a special role, serving the training of professionals in the electric power industry.

Artificial intelligence, the energy transition, the security of electric power systems, and sustainability present new challenges. In responding to these challenges, the High Voltage Laboratory remains, to this day, an active participant in international research programmes and energy innovation.