LS Cable Commercializes 'World's Largest' HVDC... Supplies East Coast Transmission Network

LS Cable has successfully commercialized a high-voltage direct current (HVDC) cable with one of the world's largest transmission capacities. This cable will be exclusively supplied to the largest domestic HVDC project, the East Coast?Seoul Metropolitan Area HVDC project.

On June 9, LS Cable announced that it would be the sole supplier of 525kV high-temperature HVDC cables for the first phase of Korea Electric Power Corporation's East Coast?Seoul Metropolitan Area transmission network project. This product is scheduled to be installed in the underground section of the project in September, and by increasing the permissible temperature of the conductor from the existing 70 degrees Celsius to 90 degrees Celsius, the transmission capacity has been improved by up to 50%.

An LS Cable representative is testing a high-voltage direct current (HVDC) cable at the Gumi factory. LS Cable

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While there have been cases overseas where the technology was developed, this is the first time that a mass-produced product has actually been applied to a transmission network. The power industry has evaluated that LS Cable has set a milestone by surpassing technological limitations.

The East Coast?Seoul Metropolitan Area transmission network project is a key national power grid initiative aimed at efficiently delivering electricity generated on the East Coast to the Seoul metropolitan area. The first phase covers the section between the East Coast and the Singapyeong converter station.

HVDC technology results in less power loss compared to conventional HVAC systems and can transmit up to three times more electricity over long distances. The global market is expected to grow from 1.8 trillion won in 2018 to 41 trillion won by 2030.

Europe began developing HVDC cables in the 1950s, and Japan followed in the 1990s. Although LS Cable entered the global market much later, as a latecomer in 2008, it has emerged as a leading company within just over a decade. To date, only six companies worldwide have commercialized this technology, with LS Cable being the only one in Korea.

Lee Inho, Chief Technology Officer (CTO) of LS Cable, stated, "Competitiveness in the HVDC market depends on securing commercialization technology," and added, "Together with LS Marine Solution, we plan to actively participate in major domestic and international projects such as the West Coast HVDC Energy Expressway, the second phase of the East Coast?Seoul Metropolitan Area project, and the second phase of the Germany TenneT project."

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