In the early 1990s, Wuhan University carried out the research on MCR, successfully developed the magnetic valve compensation device and arc suppression coil applied to the distribution network, and put them into operation in several electrified railway traction stations (capacity below 4.5 Mvar). Shanghai Jiaotong University, North China Electric Power University, Zhejiang University and Huazhong University of Science and Technology have also carried out research in this field and made great progress. The research of EHV MCR has been carried out by China Electric Power Research Institute and Shenyang Transformer Factory. In 2006, a 500kV three-phase 40Mvar MCR prototype was developed, which passed the factory test and arrived in Hubei in April 2007.
In recent years, with the national strategy of developing smart grid, the demand for MCR is increasing, and the development of MCR will be more rapid.