The Eskom Centre of Excellence (CoE) at the University of KwaZulu-Natal, which also serves as the Eskom Power Plant Engineering Institute (EPPEI) Specialization Centre in High Voltage Direct Current (HVDC) Engineering is a multi-disciplinary research center which focusses on research in technology relating to HVDC, power systems (including lines) and power electronics relating to AC systems.

The Center engages in applied scientific research and technology development in support of the National Development Plan (NDP) of the South African Government, and to improve the living standards of people in the South African society and to contribute towards nation building.

The purpose of the Center is to contribute to the South African engineering and scientific expertise through its own fundamental and applied research, and through collaborative work with others. The multidisciplinary nature of our research is reflected in the current and future activities of the Centre’s research with industry and community-based development projects. The Centre engages in inter-disciplinary approaches to the resolution of real-world engineering problems facing the electric power industry