Hyosung Heavy Industries Leads Joint Review of HVDC Localization... "At the Forefront of Power Grid Sovereignty"

"HVDC Energy Highway Localization Progress Review Meeting" Held
"Laying the Groundwork for Global Market Entry Through Technology Localization"

Hyosung Heavy Industries has presented a roadmap for the localization of HVDC (High Voltage Direct Current) technology, which is at the core of the West Coast Energy Highway project being promoted by the government.

Hyosung Heavy Industries announced on the 26th that it held an "HVDC Energy Highway Localization Progress Review Meeting" on the 25th at its headquarters in Mapo, Seoul, with experts from Korea Electric Power Corporation, the Korea Electrical Industry Promotion Association, and major industries, academia, and research institutes in attendance.

Participants are taking a commemorative photo at the HVDC Energy Highway Localization Promotion Status Review Meeting. (From the fifth person from the left in the front row) Woo Taehee, CEO of Hyosung Heavy Industries; Kim Hyunggeun, Director at Korea Electric Power Corporation; Kim Seongchil, Vice Chairman of the Korea Electrical Industry Promotion Association; Park Youngsam, Vice Chairman of the Korea Offshore Grid Industry Association. Hyosung Heavy Industries

The "West Coast Energy Highway" project is a national backbone network initiative aimed at stably transmitting large-scale offshore wind power to the Seoul metropolitan area. This review meeting was convened to closely examine the progress of localizing large-capacity, voltage-source HVDC technology, which had previously relied heavily on foreign technology, and to discuss future plans.

At the meeting, Hyosung Heavy Industries presented the current status of HVDC technology localization, including converter valves and control systems, which are key equipment for a 2 GW voltage-source HVDC system. Compared with conventional current-source systems, voltage-source HVDC makes power control easier and is more advantageous for grid stabilization, making it an essential technology for integrating renewable energy. Previously, in 2024, Hyosung Heavy Industries supplied a voltage-source HVDC system developed with Korea's first proprietary technology to the Yangju substation.

In addition, Korea's leading experts in HVDC delivered presentations on their respective areas. Professors from Seoul National University, Yonsei University, and Kyungpook National University, who participated as a technology cooperation group, presented their research in areas such as system optimization and power grid stabilization technologies. This was followed by a presentation from Lee Jongpil, Center Director at the Korea Electrotechnology Research Institute and a member of the advisory committee, who discussed certification testing for converter valves, a core component, thereby raising expectations for the successful localization of HVDC technology.

In particular, consensus was formed at this review meeting that the West Coast Energy Highway project could serve not only as a domestic power grid construction project but also as a springboard for Korean HVDC technology to advance into global markets. It is expected to lead not only to technological self-reliance, but also to the establishment of a domestic HVDC industrial ecosystem encompassing equipment, systems, and engineering, and to strengthened export competitiveness.

Professor Choi Sunghwi of Seoul National University, who attended the event, said, "HVDC technology is central to national energy security," adding, "Building a localization ecosystem is essential to reduce dependence on foreign technology and secure sovereignty over the power grid."

A Hyosung Heavy Industries official said, "We are proceeding with localization without a hitch based on the capabilities we have accumulated in power equipment and HVDC technology," and added, "We plan to successfully complete this project through close cooperation with relevant organizations such as the government and Korea Electric Power Corporation, and to expand into global markets as well."

Meanwhile, Hyosung Heavy Industries is investing a total of 330 billion won to build a dedicated HVDC transformer plant at its Changwon factory in Korea. Once the plant is completed, Hyosung Heavy Industries is expected to establish itself as the "only total HVDC solution provider in Korea," capable of everything from system design to the production of key equipment such as converters, controllers, and transformers, all based on its own proprietary technology.