We are developing high-temperature superconducting (HTS) current leads for a 1MW/1kWh module type SMES system. The module type SMES can be easily adapted to increase SMES capacity, and constitute a high reliability system. However, one set of current leads is adapted to one module of SMES. According to the capacity of the SMES system, the number of current leads increase, and the heat load of current leads increases. Therefore, it is necessary to decrease the heat-in-leak of current leads. This paper describes the design to optimize the HTS current lead for the SMES system. It is important for HTS current leads adapted to SMES systems to improve reliability. The HTS current leads have been designed to minimize the heat load and to maintain high reliability.
