Tendencies in development of wind power industry including direct-drive small-scale wind power plants and generators have been analyzed. Synchronous generators with permanent magnet excitation for direct-drive wind power turbines are described. Primary magnetic field distribution and effect of armature reaction have been studied for design of a low-speed multipole permanent-magnet synchronous generator with radial magnetic flux. The test results of a prototype permanent-magnet generator are analyzed and compared with the calculated data and characteristics.