This technology relates to control schemes for multi-terminal DC power systems. Safe control of such systems is complex and requires very fast communication. This technology address this by eschewing central control by applying autonomous local control methods to both sending and receiving terminals of the multi-terminal DC system. The system utilizes either a voltage source converter having a capacitor at an interface to the DC network, where a difference between a converter-side current and a network-side current charges the capacitor, or a current source converter having an inductor at an interface to the DC network, where a difference between a converter-side voltage and a network-side voltage drives current through the inductor. A local controller for each terminal directly controls the converter-side current of each voltage source controller and the converter-side voltage of each current source converter, independent of the terminals, leaving network-side currents and voltages to be determined by the network, resulting in simplified terminal control and avoidance of the need for high-speed communication among all terminals at all times.