In　power　system,　capacitors　are　widely　used　to　compensate　reactive　power,　which　generally　cause　resonance　problems　in　harmonic　distorted　network.　In　this　paper,　parallel　active　power　filter　(PAPF)　is　used　to　damp　the　resonances.　Firstly,　the　damping　characteristics　of　PAPF　with　traditional　load　current　detection　methods　(detecting　current　including　or　not　including　the　capacitor　current)　are　analyzed　respectively.　The　analysis　results　show　that　PAPF　with　traditional　load　current　detection　methods　is　effective　for　parallel　resonance　damping,　but　can　not　damp　series　resonance　when　capacitor　current　is　not　included　in　the　detecting　current.　And　when　capacitor　current　is　included　in　the　detecting　current,　PAPF　is　prone　to　be　unstable　and　can　not　damp　parallel　and　series　resonance.　Then　a　novel　control　method　of　PAPF　is　proposed.　PAPF　with　the　proposed　control　method　has　excellent　performance　in　damping　of　both　parallel　resonance　and　series　resonance,　whether　the　capacitor　current　is　included　in　the　detecting　current　of　PAPF　or　not.　Also　the　PAPF　with　proposed　method　has　strong　ability　in　harmonic　compensation.　Finally,　the　experiment　results　are　presented　to　verify　the　analysis.　©　2008　IEEE.