As part of the contract, GE will supply its technology for the Buk Dangjin-Godeok high-voltage direct current (HVDC) transmission link
Image: GE wins HVDC contract in South Korea. Photo: Courtesy of fancycrave1/Pixabay
GE’s Grid Solutions business has won a $100m (£82m) contract from KAPES, to complete Korea Electric Power Corporation’s (KEPCO) second and final phase of the Buk Dangjin-Godeok high-voltage direct current (HVDC) transmission link.
The final phase will add an additional 1.5GW of transmission capacity to the existing 33km link, allowing it to supply electricity from the Dangjin power plant to Godeok along with Pyeongtaek city and the south of Seoul Metropolitan area.
Together, these areas consume nearly 40% of South Korea’s energy consumption.
In 2020, GE and KAPES, a KEPCO-GE joint venture will complete the first 1.5GW phase of the bi-pole HVDC link that runs across the Ansanman Bay from Dangjin to Godeok.
Using GE’s HVDC technology, KEPCO, the country’s largest utility, will avoid constructing a 100km overhead line that an alternating current (AC) scheme would have needed. Moreover, the HVDC solution is expected to provide additional supply to the high-growth region.
GE’s Grid Solutions integrated solutions leader Rajendra Iyer said: “With this project, GE and KEPCO continue to reinforce the value of the KAPES joint venture. The investment that has been made to transfer knowledge and localize GE’s HVDC technology continues to be a win-win partnership.
“GE is proud to be able to contribute to South Korea’s growing energy economy in this way.”
The HVDC, when compared to AC technology can lower transmission costs and energy losses as well as provide an efficient and environmentally-friendly way to transmit electricity over long distances.
Buk Dangjing-Godeok link is crucial in developing South Korea’s transmission network
As South Korea is experiencing 53% growth in energy demand within the last decade and it continues to be one of the biggest energy consumers in the world, the Buk Dangjing-Godeok link is claimed to be crucial in developing South Korea’s transmission network to meet the growing energy demand.
KAPES is a joint venture between GE and KEPCO, whose aim is to co-develop HVDC projects and increase Korean transmission grid capabilities based on GE’s technology. Till now, the JV has secured six grid-critical HVDC projects in Korea, starting in 1994.