Daehan Electric Wire & Cable, First US HVDC Order... 90 Billion KRW High-Voltage Power Grid Achievement

Proving Next-Generation Power Grid Technology
Establishing a Foundation for Global Market Expansion

Daehan Electric Wire & Cable has proven its competitiveness in the next-generation power grid sector by being selected as the cable supplier for the 320kV voltage-source high-voltage direct current (HVDC) and 500kV high-voltage alternating current (HVAC) projects underway in the United States.

Daehan Electric Wire & Cable announced on the 19th that it will participate in a project worth approximately 90 billion KRW ordered by the U.S. power company 'LS Power Grid California.' This project aims to enhance the reliability of the power grid in Northern California, including Silicon Valley and San Jose, addressing the rapidly increasing electricity demand driven by the growth of artificial intelligence (AI) and advanced IT industries.

DaeHan Cable is installing cables in the United States.
[Photo by DaeHan Cable]

Through this project, Daehan Electric Wire & Cable is entering the U.S. HVDC market for the first time. HVDC is a core technology for long-distance, large-scale power transmission, converting alternating current (AC) to direct current (DC) for transmission. The voltage-source HVDC ordered by Daehan Electric Wire & Cable, unlike current-source HVDC, allows bidirectional transmission and facilitates easier converter station installation, making it preferred in the global market. In fact, transmission system operators (TSOs) in the U.S., Europe, and other regions have recently adopted voltage-source HVDC for numerous renewable energy grid connection projects and cross-country power grid interconnection (supergrid) initiatives.

Developing HVDC cable systems requires advanced technological expertise, and only a few companies worldwide have succeeded in commercialization. Daehan Electric Wire & Cable developed Korea’s first 525kV voltage-source HVDC cable system with a 3000㎟ cross-sectional area and a 90-degree permissible temperature. The company is exploring business opportunities in various domestic and international HVDC projects.

DaeHan Electric Wire & Cable completed the voltage-type HVDC cable certification test at the KEPCO Research Institute Gochang Power Test Center.
[Photo by DaeHan Electric Wire & Cable]

This project also includes a 500kV HVAC cable system. The 500kV HVAC system is currently the highest voltage system among commercially available AC underground cables. Daehan Electric Wire & Cable was the first in Korea to develop and commercialize this system. With this order, Daehan Electric Wire & Cable has successfully secured and executed all 500kV projects in the U.S.

Since 2017, Daehan Electric Wire & Cable has focused its sales efforts on the demand for replacing aging power grids in the U.S. With this order, the company has secured new orders worth 610 billion KRW this year alone, achieving record-breaking performance.

A representative from Daehan Electric Wire & Cable stated, "Ultra-high voltage power grid projects such as HVDC and 500kV HVAC have high technical difficulty, and performance records are an important criterion for securing orders. The achievements we are building in the North American market will serve as a foundation for expanding orders in the future power grid market."