Changwon Special City Holds 'Ultra-High Voltage Power Equipment Testing Infrastructure Completion Ceremony'

Changwon Special City, Gyeongnam, held a completion ceremony on the 26th for the ultra-high voltage power equipment testing infrastructure at the site of the Korea Electrotechnology Research Institute in Seongju-dong, Seongsan-gu.

Changwon Special City in Gyeongnam held a completion ceremony for the ultra-high voltage power equipment testing infrastructure on the site of the Korea Electrotechnology Research Institute.

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This project aims to establish an internationally accredited infrastructure for testing and certifying ultra-high voltage direct current (HVDC) power equipment by 2023, with a total project cost of 19.85 billion KRW invested by the city in collaboration with Gyeongsangnam-do and the Korea Electrotechnology Research Institute.

Ultra-high voltage direct current (HVDC) transmission offers excellent efficiency and safety for long-distance, large-capacity power transmission, making it a promising alternative to address challenges such as the construction of large-scale transmission towers, harmful electromagnetic wave emissions, and the distance limitations of underground cabling.

The global HVDC market is expected to grow to a scale of 20.1 billion USD by 2030, driven primarily by the demand for supergrids connecting power systems between countries.

Although electrical companies, including Hyosung Heavy Industries, are actively participating in HVDC power equipment production activities in line with the expansion of the direct current transmission market, there has been no suitable domestic testing and certification institution. Consequently, they have had to rely on internationally accredited institutions overseas, such as those in the Netherlands, bearing significant economic costs and time inconveniences.

With the completion of the HVDC power equipment international accredited testing and certification center, about 300 related companies, including major power equipment manufacturers such as Hyosung Heavy Industries, LS Electric, LS Cable & System, and Daehan Electric Wire, are expected to benefit directly and indirectly. Furthermore, it is anticipated that the demand for testing, certification, and research and development of HVDC-related companies in the Northeast Asia region will be concentrated in Changwon.

Hong Nam-pyo, Mayor of Changwon Special City, stated, “We expect Changwon to lead new businesses in this field through the establishment of internationally accredited HVDC testing infrastructure,” and added, “We hope this will also serve as an opportunity to expand the HVDC-related heavy electrical equipment industry ecosystem in the region.”

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