Superconducting power links (SUPERPOLI) will offer the opportunity for low-loss power transmission of high nominal currents and fault current limitation simultaneously in a single device. This paper presents the status of European SUPERPOLI project where the long term goal is to build a GVA class, 20 kV, three-phased, 200 m long superconducting power link. As a step towards the GVA-class application, a one-phase demonstrator of 2 m length for 20 kV, 2–5 kA rms operation has been designed and is now under construction. The project includes the development of two alternative low-ac-loss conductor designs suitable for current limitation: a tubular Bi-2212 bulk conductor with moderate J c and a tubular YBCO coated conductor with high J c.