LS Cable completes reliability test of 525kV high-voltage direct current transmission cables for commercial use

By Lim Chang-won Posted : October 17, 2022, 11:12 Updated : October 17, 2022, 11:12

[Courtesy of LS Cable & System]

SEOUL -- LS Cable & System, a major cable maker in South Korea, has completed a reliability test of its 525-kilovolt high-voltage direct current transmission (HVDC) cables for commercial use. Competition for technology development is fierce as HVDC cables are more advantageous for long-distance transmission and have less loss than conventional AC transmission.

HVDC converts alternating current into high-voltage DC and can send large amounts of current far away. 525 kilovolts (kV) is the highest voltage among HVDC cables.  LS Cable said it has completed long-term reliability tests of HVDC undersea and underground cables to recognize their stability and functionality.

LS Cable said that the year-long test was conducted in accordance with technical specifications and international standards required by TenneT, a leading European transmission system operator, which installs grid connections for offshore wind areas chosen by the Dutch government to transfer wind energy via a high-voltage network.  

As a result, LS Cable said it will be able to participate in bidding for large-scale HVDC projects in Europe and North America. The company predicts growth in the HVDC cable market due to global renewable energy expansion policies and the inflation reduction act (IRA) that only subsidizes electric vehicles using more than a certain percentage of core minerals produced by the U.S. or countries that have signed free trade agreements with Washington. 

LS Cable, which produces power and telecom cables and systems, as well as integrated modules and other related industrial materials, has been involved in a number of projects abroad. In April 2020, the company formed a consortium with Jan De Nul, a Belgian company that provides services relating to the construction and maintenance of maritime infrastructure, to clinch a deal worth about $110 million from TenneT to provide submarine cables for a project to build offshore grid connections for wind farms and produce fossil-free power.

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