LS Cable & System Explores New Global Markets

Lands projects in Kazakhstan, Paraguay

LS Cable & System successively won contracts for important power projects in Kazakhstan and Paraguay. Accordingly, the outlook for entry into the new markets of the CIS (Commonwealth of Independent States) and South America has become bright.
LS Cable & System announced that the company had won power cable supply contracts worth $24 million from Samruk Energy, a state-operated power company of Kazakhstan, and $9.1 million from ANDE (Administration Nacional de Electricidad) of Paraguay.
The Kazakhstani project is designed to resolve power deficiencies caused by expansive urban and industrial development in Almaty, the capital city. LS Cable & System will provide products, such as 127km of 220kV-level extra high voltage transmission cables and joints, and technical consultation until August next year. In addition, 140km of optical ground wire (OPGW) and 1,100km of 220kV-level gap conductors will be supplied together with installation support by year end to San Lorenzo and Guarambare for national backbone power and communication network implementation in Paraguay.
Having won the contract after a series of two strict assessments against two market leaders, 3M and Nexans, LS Cable & System was recognized as having technological capabilities and installation competencies superior to the competitors. In addition, being the first cable company in Korea to win a contract for a project in the CIS and South America, LS Cable & System has climbed to an advantageous position in terms of market entry into these areas of high growth potential.
LS Cable & System commenced vigorous overseas market entry from the early 1990s and now has around 100 operation sites in 24 countries. The company is implementing projects specialized by area in China, Asia, the Middle East, Russia, the U.S., and Europe.
OPGW is a conventional ground wire that protects transmission lines from lightning and allows fault current to flow during power line failure. OPGW is created by adding optical fiber to the conventional ground wire and therefore provides an additional function as a communication line.
Gap conductor is made of super heat-resistant aluminum alloy and produces very high conductivity. Twice the electricity can be transmitted just by replacing existing cables without having to add transmission towers and power lines. Therefore, economic system implementation is possible within a short period of time.
NEXT-GENERATION SUPERCONDUCTION CABLE KT will be responsible for the overall management of kccs, to be headquartered in Korea. '- LS Cable & System said on Oct. 29 the company, together with KEPCO, will commence operation of the 22.9kV distribution cable system at the Icheon Substation located in Gyeonggi-do, Korea. With this, LS Cable & System becomes the second in the world to apply superconducting cable technology to an actual commercial power network, not simply for experimental purposes.
In 100 years after the discovery of superconductivity, and 25 years since the discovery of room temperature superconductors, LS Cable & System has become one of only a few companies that have been able to claim such an impressive achievement. Significantly, LS Cable & System took only 10 years to succeed in this achievement whereas other companies abroad spent 20 or more years. Therefore the company has proven its outstanding technological prowess. Experts forecast that, through this project, LS Cable & System will develop superconducting cable system engineering and mass-production technology; secure superconducting cable system linkage technology; commercialize large-capacity and low-loss superconducting cable system design and manufacturing technology; obtain expertise in implementing low-loss, high-efficiency electric power systems; and advance into the global market by developing related technologies.
The scale of the superconducting cable system used in this project is 410m, which, for a distribution cable, is the longest in the world. There have been instances in which joint boxes were applied to some phases of conventional distribution superconducting cable installations, but this cable system is the world's only power line to which joint boxes are being applied to three phases. This technology enables the length of the superconducting cable to be extended and therefore will lead to further commercialization of superconducting cable in the future. In addition, due to the key benefit of zero power loss, superconducting cables can replace some of the conventional transmission cables. At the same time, this technology can be used for developing transmission level (80kV DC, 154kV AC) superconductive electric devices and will be helpful in improving related technologies.
LS Cable & System was also placed in charge of developing the entire system, including joint boxes connecting superconducting cables, and terminations connecting general and superconducting cables. In particular, unlike overseas companies that follow their own standards, LS Cable & System was recognized for its technological capabilities as its superconducting cable system became the first product in the world to be conferred an international certification from Kinetics of Canada, an institute that certifies superconducting devices.
After developing superconducting cable in 2004, LS Cable & System passed a long-term substantive evaluation test in 2005 as only the world's second to do so. In 2007, the company succeeded in developing a 22.9kV 50MVA distribution level superconducting cable system of which stability was verified through a two year reliability assessment and type test conducted by the KEPCO Gochang Power Test Center. LS Cable & System also developed a joint box that enables high temperature superconductors located at joints to be electrically and mechanically stable while maintaining superconductive characteristics during connection and operation. In 2010, the company also succeeded in developing a world-class 154kV/1GVA level transmission superconductive cable termination (connector between the existing power network and superconducting cable), demonstrating that LS Cable & System possesses the world's highest technological prowess.
Based on its technological capabilities, LS Cable & System was selected as a cable supplier for the TASS (Tres Amigas Superstation) project where superconductor cable is being used as a basis for integrating three large and expansive yet disparate power networks in the United States, one serving parts of the eastern region, another serving the midwest and another serving parts of Texas. The scientific journal, Nature, anticipated in an article that Korea would achieve smart grid commercialization with high temperature superconducting cable as the first in the world. In addition, LS cable & System is organizing symposiums and technology seminars targeting leading power industry personnel of China and India. At the same time, the company is actively preparing for the project by arranging to participate in a 154kV level commercialization project for a superconducting test bed to be installed on Jeju Island.
LS Cable & System President Son Jong-ho said, "This project will write a new chapter in the history of the power industry." He added, "We will do our utmost to enter the global superconducting market in the future." nw

LS Cable & System, together with KEPCO, commences operation of the 22.9kV distribution cable system at a ceremony at the Icheon Substation located in Gyeonggi-do, on Sept. 28. With this, LS Cable & System becomes the fifth in the world to apply superconducting cable technology to an actual commercial power network, not just for experimental purposes.
Photos on courtesy of LS Cable & System

LS Cable & System Chairman Christopher Koo

The superconducting room of LS Cable & System's Icheon Power Substation & a superconducting cable.