The Lee Jae-myung government has proposed the 'West Coast Energy Highway' as a major energy pledge, drawing attention to LS Cable & System and Taihan Cable & Solution, which have the production and construction capabilities for high-voltage direct current (HVDC). The energy highway is a power grid that connects the country's renewable energies into a single network, allowing for the quick and stable delivery of electricity where it is needed.
An industry official stated on the 11th, "The core of the West Coast Energy Highway project is laying HVDC under the sea," adding, "LS Group and Taihan Cable & Solution are strong candidates capable of executing this project from cable manufacturing to construction, maintenance, and repair."
The West Coast Energy Highway emphasized by President Lee is a project to send power generated from offshore wind in Honam to the metropolitan area, with a total project cost of 11 trillion won. President Lee pledged to complete the West Coast Energy Highway by 2030, six years ahead of the previous goal of 2036.
The cable industry asserts that HVDC submarine cables are essential for the construction of the West Coast Energy Highway. This is because opposition from residents in areas where high-voltage lines would run is intense if built on land or underground. To lay HVDC submarine cables on the seabed, cable companies equipped with cable laying vessels (CLV) must participate in the project.
LS Cable & System began mass production of 525-kilovolt (kV) HVDC submarine cables last year. In 2020, it acquired a barge and remodeled it into a cable laying vessel called 'GL2030.'
LS Cable & System’s subsidiary LS Marine Solution is set to start operating a 13,000-ton cable laying vessel in 2028. An LS Cable & System official noted, "We can handle everything from manufacturing submarine cables to construction, maintenance, and repair all at once. We are expecting bids for the energy highway to take place in the first half of next year."
Taihan Cable & Solution is also proactive. The company began operations of its 6,300-ton cable laying vessel 'Faloss' in July of last year. It is currently manufacturing underground and land-based HVDC cables, and is building a factory for submarine HVDC cable production in Dangjin, South Chungcheong Province, with a goal of operation in 2027. A Taihan Cable & Solution official stated, "Since this is a government project, we expect a structure that will involve various corporations. Even if we can’t produce HVDC cables immediately, we believe we will still be able to participate."