Integrated cable manufacturing and subsea installation capabilities
LS Cable & System and LS Marine Solution will showcase power and communications infrastructure technologies targeting the west coast energy highway and artificial intelligence data center (AIDC) markets. The companies said on November 4 that they would participate in BIXPO 2026, the Bitgaram International Exposition of Electric Power Technology, held at the Kimdaejung Convention Center in Gwangju from November 4 through November 6, presenting capabilities ranging from extra-high-voltage direct current (HVDC) cables to subsea installation and maintenance and data center power supply solutions.
The exhibition centers on integrated solutions combining LS Cable & System's cable design and manufacturing technology with LS Marine Solution's subsea installation and maintenance capabilities. Their strategy is to address demand for large-scale grid construction and AI data center infrastructure through capabilities spanning cable production, sea transport, laying and subsequent maintenance.
The companies have experience commercializing submarine and underground HVDC cables in South Korea. Building on this experience, they have established separate exhibition areas for the west coast energy highway and AIDCs to present the core technologies and business capabilities required in each field.
HVDC cables and submarine cable installation
The west coast energy highway exhibition area features submarine and underground HVDC cables and cable-laying vessel models. LS Cable & System is presenting its extra-high-voltage, high-capacity transmission capabilities, focusing on technology that became the first in South Korea to pass long-term reliability testing for 525 kV, 80°C HVDC submarine cables.
HVDC is better suited than alternating current to transmitting large amounts of electricity over long distances, making it useful for delivering electricity from renewable generation, including offshore wind, to onshore grids. As large-scale grid projects such as the west coast energy highway move forward, technical competitiveness in the relevant cables and reliable installation capabilities are becoming increasingly important.
LS Marine Solution is exhibiting seabed analysis and cable-laying and protection technologies. It is currently building a new HVDC submarine cable-laying vessel capable of transporting and laying up to 13,000 tonnes of cable. It is also presenting technologies for submarine cable inspection, maintenance and recovery following incidents.
Competitiveness in submarine cable projects depends not only on product design and manufacturing but also on installation that accounts for seabed topography and marine conditions, and on maintenance capabilities over long operating periods. The companies intend to combine cable manufacturing and subsea installation technologies to establish integrated delivery capabilities for large submarine power grid projects.
AI data center power and communications infrastructure
The AIDC exhibition area features data center power and communications infrastructure technologies, including superconducting cable systems, busducts and communications cables. As AI services expand and investment in large data centers continues, increasing electricity demand from servers and cooling equipment, the companies are presenting technologies that can improve the efficiency and reliability of power supplies.
Superconducting cable systems are designed to supply large amounts of electricity. The exhibition introduces potential applications according to data center electricity demand and grid conditions. Various infrastructure products needed for data center operations, including busducts, distribution cables and communications cables, are also on display.
LS Cable & System is also expanding its presence in the global AIDC market through cooperation with affiliates including Gaon Cable, LS Eco Energy and LS Materials. Gaon Cable supplies busducts and distribution cables to US big tech companies' AIDC projects, while LS Eco Energy supplies busducts to global big tech data centers in Southeast Asia.
LS Materials supplies ultracapacitors (UCs) for AIDCs to a US hydrogen fuel cell company. Through these activities, LS Group is expanding beyond power cables and distribution equipment into energy storage and auxiliary power solutions needed to stabilize data center power supplies.
Industry observers expect rising data center electricity demand driven by AI industry growth, together with renewable energy expansion, to be major growth drivers for the power infrastructure market. Through this exhibition, LS Cable & System and LS Marine Solution intend to target both the energy transition and AI infrastructure expansion markets by presenting HVDC submarine cables and installation capabilities alongside AIDC power and communications solutions.
Original Korean article: efnews.co.kr
English brief by Korea Wind Intelligence, koreawindintel.com
