This paper examines the characteristics of real vibrational power flow in a simply supported rectangular panel under the action of feedforward vibration control, induced by a control source input which is slightly sub-optimal such that the primary source is producing a slight amount of real vibrational power, and the control source is absorbing the same amount. It is found that the path of the power flow is a combination of translations and rotations, the rotations being induced by the interference of two modes which produces a ''vortex generating block.'' A qualitative formula for predicting the number of power flow vortices, as well as the discussion of the vortex period, is presented. Then, a quantitative formula for expressing the power flow vortices is discussed from the viewpoint of a stream function. A novel method to induce a vortex at an arbitrary location in the plate is also shown, which may have practical applications in controlling the path of vibrational power flow in systems of large extent. Moreover, the influence of the induced vortex power flow in the plate on the acoustic intensity distribution is investigated, showing that the rotational direction of the vortex in the plate is not always the same as that of the acoustic intensity in the near field. © 1996 Institute of Noise Control Engineering.