On May 29, Professor Konstantin Papailiou, President of the International Council on Large Electric Systems (CIGRE), visited the Department of Electrical Engineering (DEE), Tsinghua University upon invitation and delivered an academic lecture focusing on the history and future development of overhead high-voltage transmission lines. Over 30 faculty and student representatives attended the event, including Sun Kai, Deputy Head of DEE; Liang Xidong, Professor of DEE and Dean of Weiyang College; and Wu Chao, faculty member of DEE. Sun Kai presided over the lecture.
At the opening of the event, Sun Kai introduced Professor Papailiou’s professional experience and academic achievements. Liang Xidong elaborated on the vital position of CIGRE in the global power industry, and reviewed Professor Papailiou’s long-term fruitful cooperation with Chinese universities and enterprises. Afterwards, on behalf of the Tsinghua Institute for Energy Internet Innovation, Sun Kai and Liang Xidong presented a Distinguished Visiting Scholar Certificate to Professor Papailiou.
Sun Kai and Liang Xidong Presenting the Commemorative Certificate to Professor Papailiou
Professor Papailiou then delivered an academic lecture titled Transmission Technology—A Critical Enabler of the Energy Transition: A Glorious History and Reflections on Future Development . In the lecture, he sorted out the historical evolution and key milestones of overhead high-voltage transmission lines. He systematically summarized core engineering challenges including line ice accretion, conductor galloping and insulator mechanical failure, as well as global technical solutions developed to tackle these problems. He stressed the irreplaceable status of transmission engineering in the global energy transition, and encouraged young Chinese scholars to join international organizations such as CIGRE to contribute to the development of power grids worldwide.
Professor Papailiou Delivering the Academic Lecture
After the lecture, faculty and students held in-depth exchanges with Professor Papailiou on the integration of scientific research and engineering practice, work experience in international institutions, and sustainable development of transmission engineering.
Discussion Session
All Attendees at the Lecture Venue
Group Photo After the Lecture
Following the lecture, Professor Papailiou took part in the "Dean's Afternoon Tea" activity held by Weiyang College, and exchanged ideas with more than ten undergraduate students about career planning and industrial prospects.
Scene of Weiyang College Dean's Afternoon Tea
Guest Profile
Professor Konstantin Papailiou is a world-renowned authoritative expert in transmission and transformation insulation. He has published more than 100 academic papers, and authored or edited a series of authoritative industrial publications, including monographs Composite Insulators , Power Systems Handbook , Overhead High-Voltage Lines and Underground Cables , the CIGRE Orange Book on Wind-Induced Conductor Galloping, as well as the first CIGRE Green Book Overhead Lines and multiple CIGRE technical brochures. These documents have provided core technical guidance for global power engineering practice.
He has served in CIGRE for over 40 consecutive years, growing from working group member to Study Committee Chair, and was elected CIGRE President in 2024. In 2014, he founded the journal CIGRE Science & Engineering and acted as its Editor-in-Chief until 2020. For many years, he has taught courses on overhead high-voltage transmission lines at the University of Stuttgart and TU Dresden in Germany, and supervised doctoral and master students from ETH Zurich, EPFL, TU Dresden, University of KwaZulu-Natal (South Africa), Université de Sherbrooke (Canada) and other institutions.
