KEPCO Launches Full-Scale Construction of West Coast 'HVDC Energy Highway'

Accelerating Renewable Energy Delivery to the Capital Region
Targeting Early Completion of Saemangeum–Seoul Section by 2030
Undersea Transmission and Process Innovation Aim to Cut Construction Time by 9 Years

A view of the headquarters of Korea Electric Power Corporation (KEPCO).

Korea Electric Power Corporation (KEPCO) has begun building a high-voltage direct current (HVDC)–based "energy highway" to deliver renewable energy generated along the west coast to the Seoul metropolitan area, accelerating the major transformation of the national power grid.

On March 19, KEPCO announced that it would officially launch the construction project for the "West Coast HVDC Energy Highway."

This project is a large-scale HVDC transmission network designed to carry renewable energy, such as offshore wind power from the west coast region, to major demand centers including the Seoul metropolitan area. The project consists of a total of four HVDC transmission lines, which will be built in phases through 2038.

In particular, the core section of the first phase, stretching from Saemangeum to the Seoul metropolitan area, is targeted for completion by 2030—one year ahead of the initial plan.

KEPCO has already started designing the submarine cable route and completed site selection for eight converter stations last year. After considering economic feasibility, constructability, and energy security, the company has made the final decision to build the transmission network underwater.

To shorten the typical HVDC transmission line construction period, which normally exceeds nine years, KEPCO is also pursuing process innovation. The basic design phase, which used to take more than two years, will be completed within this year, and construction of the submarine cable will be commissioned early next year to enable an early start.

Additionally, by proactively conducting marine surveys—which were previously carried out after contracts—KEPCO aims to enable cable manufacturers to commence production immediately, thereby maximizing the available construction period.

At the same time, KEPCO is reviewing plans to expand support for fishermen to minimize the impact on fisheries and is strengthening cooperation by forming a working-level consultative body between the central and local governments to expedite the permitting process.

KEPCO has also established a consultative body with domestic cable manufacturers in order to secure mass production capacity in advance, and is working to introduce key equipment such as ultra-large cable-laying vessels. Through these efforts, the company aims to ensure on-time grid construction while also laying the foundation for new HVDC industry businesses in Korea.

KEPCO stated, "This project is a symbolic initiative that sets the future direction of Korea's power grid. We will mobilize our entire organizational capacity to achieve the ambitious goal of completing the first phase by 2030."

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