Excitation regulator has played an important role to ensure that generator run safely and stably. However, in some remote areas, the rural small generator excitation control system is very backward, and it has hindered the development of Chinese agriculture and the pace of new countryside construction. This paper introduced a kind of structure and basic principle of DSP-based automatic excitation regulator, which was applied to rural small generator. We chose TMS320LF2407A chip as the core of regulator control system; the regulator adjusted PWM based on PID control strategy to control the exciting current. The theoretical analysis showed that the regulator had the characteristics of simplicity and reliability, well dynamic and static characteristics, and it could also adjust its own state quickly. The result was applicable to small rural hydropower station. Excitation regulator has played an important role to ensure that generator run safely and stably. However, in some remote areas, the rural small generator excitation control system is very backward, and it has hindered the development of Chinese agriculture and the pace of new countryside construction . This paper introduced a kind of structure and basic principle of DSP-based automatic excitation regulator, which was applied to rural small generator. We chose TMS320LF2407A chip as the core of regulator control system; the regulator adjusted PWM based on PID control strategy to control the exciting current. The theoretical analysis showed that the regulator had the characteristics of simplicity and reliability, well dynamic and static characteristics, and it could also adjust its own state quickly. The result was applicable to small rural hydropower station.