PURPOSE: To obtain a controller for an elevator having high reliability, small in size and weight and long service life by, storing regenerative power by supplying a current to a superconducting coil at the time of regenerative operation of the elevator, and supplying the power stored in the coil to an inverter at the time of power running of the elevator.

CONSTITUTION: A 3-phase AC power source is supplied to an AC motor 4 through a converter 1 and an inverter 3 to control the operation of an elevator. Transistors 22, 23 are turned ON at the time of regenerative operation of the elevator, and the regenerative power of the motor 4 converted to a DC by the inverter 3 is supplied to a superconducting coil 25. Then, a transistor 24 is turned ON at the time of power drive operation of the elevator, and the power stored in the coil 25 is supplied to the inverter 3. In this case, a transistor 26 is controlled to control the supplying power to the inverter 3. A switch 27 is closed to short-circuit the coil 25 during the time the elevator is stopped.