Taihan Cable & Solution has completed a dedicated HVDC (High Voltage Direct Current) cable test center at its Dangjin Cable Plant, adding core infrastructure intended to improve competitiveness and support broader participation in the global HVDC market.
The company marked the completion with a ceremony attended by executives and employees, including Vice Chairman Song Jong-min of Taihan Cable & Solution and Kim Dae-heon, Head of Planning at Hoban Group. The gathering reviewed construction outcomes and discussed directions for expanding the firm’s HVDC business.
The new facility covers approximately 7,000 m² and is positioned alongside existing production lines to enable close operational linkage. It is designed to test two 640 kV-class HVDC cable circuits simultaneously, covering both onshore and submarine links. By running parallel tests, the center is expected to help reduce development and qualification lead times and to incorporate project-specific requirements more quickly, supporting contract competitiveness and responsiveness to varying standards.
A central feature is the consolidation of essential equipment used to verify HVDC cable safety and reliability. The center is configured to assess a broad range of performance characteristics in one location, avoiding the need to move equipment between sites or rely on separate facilities. With this infrastructure, Taihan Cable & Solution can conduct long-term reliability testing (PQ Test), which typically takes more than one year, as well as temporary overvoltage (TOV) testing—both required elements in international HVDC cable qualification processes.
Vice Chairman Song described the test center as a cornerstone investment demonstrating the company’s technological capabilities. He said bringing development, validation, and certification activities in-house will support proactive engagement with domestic and international HVDC projects, including the West Coast Energy Highway initiative, and added that the company will continue expanding its footprint in the global HVDC market.
As HVDC demand grows, Taihan Cable & Solution has continued to invest in technology and infrastructure, positioning HVDC cables as a future growth driver. In December 2022, the company developed Korea’s first 500 kV LCC HVDC cable system, followed by a 525 kV VSC HVDC cable system.
HVDC is widely used for long-distance, large-capacity power transmission and is viewed as important for cross-border grid interconnections and the expansion of renewable energy sources such as offshore wind and solar power. Market forecasts cited by the company project growth from approximately KRW 70 trillion in 2020 to KRW 159 trillion by 2030.
