As a key technology for building smart grid

flexible HVDC technology based on voltage sourced converter（VSC）has been widely applied in China. Such as

±350 kV Luxi asynchronous interconnection HVDC project has been built and put into operation

Zhangbei renewable energy flexible HVDC demonstration project has been under construction

±800 kV Wudongde-Guangdong HVDC project has entered the implementation stage of the project. As a typical structure of VSC

modular multi-level converter（MMC）is the main converter mature applying in the flexible HVDC project

and its performance directly affects the safe and reliable operation of the flexible HVDC project.Type tests are an indispensable means to check whether the performance of converter can meet the operation requirements of HVDC project. Short-circuit current test is one of the important test items of type tests

mainly assess the ability of converter withstanding short-circuit current. This paper studies the test method using short-circuit generator as a large current source to implement short-circuit current test of VSC based on MMC

we built the test circuit

and implemented the short-circuit test of VSC based on MMC

and the test results completely meet IEC 62501:2014 and GB/T 33348—2016 requirements. This method provides an equivalent test means to check adequacy of the MMC with regard to current stresses in the cases of short-circuit fault

has better instructive significance in engineering.