On November 24, LS Cable & System, a prominent South Korean manufacturer, released the launch of its largest-ever high-voltage direct current (HVDC) plan. The project, situated between the East Coast and Singapyeong, features groundbreaking 500-kilovolt HVDC cables that can resist temperatures of up to 90°C, enabling them the highest-capacity cables.
This technology is important for South Korea, as the country needs efficient power transmission to support its energy-intensive industries around the country.
As renewable energy becomes a global priority, advanced HVDC systems are essential for modernising power grids and reducing energy loss over long distances. This project is the first phase of a larger plan to connect energy generation sites on the East Coast to the Seoul metropolitan area, ensuring a stable and balanced energy supply.
The cables were certified by the Korea Electric Power Corp in June, and by increasing the permissible conductor temperature to 90°C (from the typical 70°C), the new cables can carry up to 50% more power.
LS Cable & System is the only South Korean company with expertise in both underground and subsea HVDC operations, having previously delivered successful projects like the Jeju-Jindo and North Dangjin-Godeok links.
With plans to expand into new projects such as the West Coast HVDC Energy Expressway as well as international projects in Europe, LS Cable aims to play a major role in the highly growing global HVDC market, expected to grow from KRW 1.8 trillion in 2018 to KRW 41 trillion by 2030.
