Next-Gen Cable Certification
LS Cable and System reported on December 5 that it became the first domestic company to receive Conseil International des Grands Reseaux Electrique (CIGRE) certification for HDVC XLPE cable.
The CIGRE is a globally-renowned standard for power and electricity working as a liaison between nations, providing a platform for information sharing in the areas of long-distance power generation and transmission. The CIGRE certification means that LS has gained the technology that puts them on equal terms with international companies.
High Voltage Direct Current, or HVDC XLPE, is a method of long-distance electric current transfer that transmits alternating current, then converts it into direct current and vice-versa at the originating and receiving facility, minimizing power loss during the transfer. The type of cable that is used for this method must be durable enough to withstand high-voltage power, and LS Cable and System has successfully passed the certification test that requires repetition of heating and cooling over a period of one month while applying 463kV of power at a maximum temperature of 90 degrees.
The HDVC XLPE project involved consortia with the Korea Institute of Ceramic Engineering and Technology, LG Chem Ltd., and Korea Electronics Technology Institute. It was a national-level project, and was one of the top 100 national research and development projects in 2012 cited by the Ministry of Science, KT, and Future Planning.
The HVDC market is a rapidly-growing market. It is estimated that by the year 2020 it will be a 70 trillion won (US$66.2 billion) industry. The market for HDVC cable is expected to grow as well. LS Cable and System has jockeyed its position accordingly, setting itself up as a player in the HDVC industry.
LS Cable and System’s spokesperson said, “We are going after newly-developing markets in Asia and the Middle East, and also North America and Europe, a transitioning market in need of updating old facilities.” He also added, “We will focus on manufacturing high-quality cables and will work in conjunction with international power authorities to market our products.”