A Core Industrial Base for 'Ultra High Voltage Direct Current Transmission' Established in Changwon, Gyeongnam

Groundbreaking Ceremony for the Internationally Accredited Testing and Certification Center for Ultra-High Voltage Electrical Equipment

On the 24th, the groundbreaking ceremony for the HVDC International Accredited Testing and Certification Center was held at the Korea Electrotechnology Research Institute in Seongsan-gu, Changwon-si, Gyeongnam.
[Image source=Changwon-si]

[Asia Economy Yeongnam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Lee Sang-hyun] Domestic companies in the high-voltage direct current transmission (HVDC) sector will have the opportunity to obtain testing and certification for overseas orders at the Korea Electrotechnology Research Institute located in Changwon, without having to go abroad.

Changwon City, Gyeongnam Province, held a groundbreaking ceremony for the "International Accredited Testing and Certification Center for Ultra-High Voltage Power Equipment" on the 24th at the Korea Electrotechnology Research Institute in Seongsan-gu.

The establishment of an international accredited testing and certification infrastructure for ultra-high voltage direct current-based power equipment was selected last year through a project led by the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy and organized by the Korea Energy Technology Evaluation Institute. With a total project cost of 18.5 billion KRW, it is being carried out with the goal of launching commercial testing and certification services in May 2023.

High-voltage direct current transmission (HVDC) is a power grid system that differs from the conventional alternating current method by transmitting large amounts of direct current.

It has lower power loss during transmission, making it advantageous for long-distance and large-capacity transmission, and is suitable for underground cabling, leading to its global expansion trend. The global HVDC market is expected to grow to 20.1 billion USD by 2030, driven mainly by demand for supergrid connections between countries.

Until now, related companies such as Hyosung Heavy Industries, which produce HVDC power equipment in Changwon, have had no choice but to use overseas testing institutions for global standard certification, bearing significant time and economic burdens due to delivery delays and overseas accommodation costs.

Upon completion of this project, 300 domestic related companies are expected to benefit, and it is anticipated that testing, certification, and research and development demands from HVDC-related companies in Korea and the Pan-Pacific region will be attracted to Changwon.

According to the Korea Management Association Consulting, the project is expected to generate a production inducement effect of 107.9 billion KRW and a value-added inducement effect of 53.8 billion KRW, with the creation of over 1,000 local jobs.

Additionally, more than 2,000 domestic and international personnel will visit Changwon annually for testing and certification, which is expected to enhance Changwon’s international recognition and revitalize the local economy.

Mayor Heo Seong-moo stated, "By establishing an international accredited testing and certification infrastructure for HVDC power equipment, which is a core foundation of the Northeast Asia supergrid, we will secure new businesses that align with global trends." He added, "We expect Changwon to establish itself as a Pan-Pacific HVDC hub city that provides one-stop support for research and development, production, testing and certification, and export industrialization of ultra-high voltage direct current-based power equipment."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.