LS Cable & System (LS C&S) and LS ELECTRIC announced that on July 10, they signed an MOU with Korea Electric Power Corporation Corporation (KEPCO) to jointly develop and complete the world’s first superconducting power grid at a hyperscale data center in Gapyeong, South Korea, by 2028.
A press release said that LS C&S will design and manufacture superconducting cables, while sister-company LS Electric will supply superconducting fault current limiters and other power equipment. KEPCO will oversee technical and regulatory aspects and coordination.
LS C&S already demonstrated commercial viability of superconducting cable technology in 2019 when it began operating a 1-km superconducting cable section between Singal-Heungdeok Energy Center substations in Yongin, Gyeonggi Province. Compared to existing copper lines, the installation reduced transmission losses by a factor of 20.
“This collaboration between three leading power industry companies on the world’s first superconducting power grid for data centers is a significant milestone,” said LS Electric Chairman Koo Ja-kyun. He noted that LS Cable & System’s superconducting cables and LS Electric’s advanced fault current limiters will offer optimal solutions for the eco-friendly power grid market.
The superconducting fault current limiters are key components that enhance operational stability by immediately interrupting fault currents, thereby preventing equipment damage and minimizing data loss risks. This technology is particularly crucial for AI data centers where uninterrupted power supply is essential for continuous operations.
The three companies plan to expand cooperation in developing and demonstrating superconducting grid technologies while pursuing initiatives to foster the industry ecosystem and jointly enter overseas markets. The Gapyeong project is expected to serve as a blueprint for future superconducting power infrastructure deployments globally, particularly in markets with high concentrations of energy-intensive data centers supporting AI and cloud computing operations.
