The implementation of a simple power converter for a wound rotor induction generator employing a three phase diode bridge rectifier and a line commutated inverter in the rotor circuit for super synchronous speeds has been proposed. The detailed working of the system in power smoothing mode and maximum power point tracking mode is presented. The current flow in the rotor circuit is controlled (by controlling the firing angle of the line commutated inverter) for controlling the stator power in both the modes. An 8 bit PIC microcontroller has been programmed to vary the firing angle of the line commutated inverter. Experiments have been carried out on a 3-phase, 3. 73 kW, 400 V, 50 Hz, 4-pole, 1500 r/min wound rotor induction generator and the results obtained with the generator supplying power in both the modes are furnished. The complete scheme has been modeled using MATLAB/SIMULINK blocks and a simulation study has been conducted. The experimental waveforms are compared with the simulation results and a very close agreement between them is observed. © 2013 Higher Education Press and Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg.