This overview is dedicated to issues of controlling micro hydropower plants that possess an asynchronous
generator (a squirrel-cage induction motor), which converts the energy of water flow—a promising
alternative source of energy—to electric energy. Modern “green electronics” allows producing cheap and reliable
micro hydropower plants and ensures stability of their output parameters amidst undefined and variable
load and water-flow characteristics. The modes of self-excitation with no load and under load are given. The
article describes design solutions based on various topologies of power converters specially designed for solving
the set control problem, and describes two topologies using a direct current link with uncontrolled and
controlled rectifiers, as well as a topology with a STATCOM system. Their advantages and disadvantages are
discussed, and the potential of this approach to building a micro hydropower plant based on asynchronous
generators is demonstrated.