LS GreenLink USA, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of South Korea’s LS Cable & System Ltd. (LS C&S), on April 28 held the official groundbreaking ceremony at its new submarine power cable manufacturing facility on a 97-acre site in Chesapeake, Virginia.

A press release said that the company plans to invest more than $680 million in the new facility as part of its long-term global expansion strategy. The plant is expected to be operational by the end of 2027, with full operations beginning in early 2028. The project is anticipated to create more than 330 new jobs in its first phase, with future expansion possible.

LS C&S anticipates the U.S. subsea cable market will grow more than 30% annually over the next decade. The company said the new plant will provide end-to-end capabilities in high-voltage direct current (HVDC) subsea cable manufacturing, transportation and supply.

“The construction of the LS GreenLink plant is a turning point for LS Cable & System to become a global energy infrastructure company,” said LS C&S XEO Koo Bon-kyu.

In March 2024, the project was awarded $99 million in investment tax credits under Section 48C of the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022, also known as the “Qualifying Advanced Energy Project Credit Program.” Other cable manufacturers have also qualified, including Hellenic Cables Americas, which was awarded a tax credit allocation in 2024 of up to $58 million for its planned cable manufacturing facility in Baltimore, Maryland.

In 2022, Prysmian announced similar plans to build a cable plant in Somerset, Massachusetts but canceled that in January 2025. While multiple reports cited the Trump administration’s executive orders halting new offshore wind permits as a key factor, Prysmian publicly stated that its decision was unrelated to political changes.

South Korea’s LS Cable & System has won a court battle in a long-standing patent dispute with Taihan Cable & Solution, with a March 13 ruling by the Intellectual Property High Court that found that Taihan Cable must pay 1.5 billion won ($1.03 million) in compensation for partially infringing LS Cable’s patent on joint kits used in bus ducts.

Per press release and multiple media reports, the lawsuit, initiated in 2019, revolves around LS Cable’s claim that Taihan Cable infringed its patented technology for bus duct joint kits—a critical component for distributing electricity in large-scale installations.

LS Cable alleged technology leakage after an employee of its subcontractor joined Taihan Cable in 2011, leading to the production of similar products. Taihan Cable argued that it had been using the joint kit products for years, noting that there were earlier patents in the US and Japan and that LS Cable & System amended them, so its actions should not be seen as patent infringement. The court, however, court sided with LS Cable, emphasizing the importance of protecting technological innovation.

“We respect the court’s ruling and view it as recognition of our technological capabilities,” stated an LS Cable official. “We will continue to respond firmly to any acts of infringement.”

Taihan is considering whether to appeal. LS Cable & System is the largest South Korean cable company and Taihan Cable & Solution is the second largest. “As we have used a different type of joint kit since several years ago, the latest ruling will not affect our bus duct business,” a Taihan C&S official was quoted as saying.

In a twist, there were reports that the Hoban Group, the parent company of Taihan C&S, had purchased shares in LS Corp., the parent of LS C&S. The investment represented less than 3% percent. Per media reports, if the Hoban stake topped 3% it would have the rights to access the account book of LS Corp. and to convene an extraordinary general meeting of its shareholders.

South Korea’s LS Cable announced that it has signed a framework contract with the U.K.’s National Grid for the future supply of HVDC (High Voltage Direct Current) cables, a massive project that will require multiple cable suppliers.

A press release explained that the framework contract was established to pre-select key suppliers before the commencement of individual projects and to create a long-term partnership. In addition to LS Cable, six other companies from Europe and Japan are involved. Specific contracts for other projects will be signed in the future.

The National Grid, which is responsible for managing Britain’s electricity network, has ambitious plans for large-scale transmission infrastructure in mainland Britain and the North Sea region. Over the next eight years, it plans to undertake cable supply and installation for 15 projects, allocating a budget of approximately £21.3 billion.

Through this contract, LS Cable will participate in upcoming projects, supplying and installing offshore and underground HVDC cables, as well as carrying out connection works. “Only six companies, including LS Cable, have experience supplying HVDC cables worldwide, making us the sole provider in South Korea,” said an official from LS Cable. “The current supply is insufficient to meet demand, prompting companies in various countries to proactively secure supply volumes.”

In other news, LS Cable announced that it and LS Marine Solutions have signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with British marine engineering company Balmoral Comtec for collaboration on the floating offshore wind power project.

A press release said that Balmoral Comtec, a leading energy company, provides cable protection systems, buoyancy solutions, and submarine infrastructure for the offshore wind power and marine energy industries. LS Cable & System is the first in Korea to develop a dynamic cable for floating offshore wind power that operates stably even in harsh marine environments. “Under this partnership, we aim to collaborate with Balmoral Comtec to build a safe operation system for floating offshore wind power cables, optimized for extreme marine conditions.”

LS Marine Solutions Co. will support this collaboration by enhancing the installation and operational efficiency of the cables and ensuring stable maintenance.

South Korea’s LS Cable & System (LS Cable) has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Norway’s Equinor to cooperate on the 750 MW Bandibuli/Firefly floating offshore wind project in South Korea.

A press release said that the collaboration aims to support the development of one of the world’s largest planned floating offshore wind farms, which is projected to deliver up to 750 MW capacity by 2030, approximately 70 km off the coast of Ulsan. The Bandibuli project is one of South Korea’s first large-scale floating offshore wind initiatives that is particularly suited to deeper waters.

The MoU was signed at the BIXPO 2024 event held at the Kim Dae-jung Convention Centre in Gwangju. LS Cable & System notes that it developed South Korea’s first dynamic submarine cable for floating offshore wind.

The wind farm recently entered into a Transmission Service Agreement with Korea Electric Power Corporation (KEPCO). The project calls for the deployment of Siemens Gamesa 15 MW wind turbine via an agreement that was signed in October.

South Korea’s LS Cable & System (LS C&S) will supply submarine cables worth approximately $207 million for the world’s first artificial energy island.

A press release said that the landmark project, Princess Elisabeth Island, is being constructed by Belgian power company ELIA in the North Sea, about 45 km off the coast of Belgium. “It is set to revolutionize the way renewable energy is managed and distributed.”

The submarine cables will play a crucial role in the island’s function, which is to store, distribute, and manage electricity generated from a 3.5 GW offshore wind farm. Once completed in 2030, Princess Elisabeth Island will serve as a hub for regulating energy supply between the mainland, the U.K. and Denmark. The island will be equipped with power conversion stations, energy storage systems, and grid connection facilities, ensuring a stable and efficient transmission of electricity between the artificial island and the mainland.

“We will be the first cable manufacturer to gain experience in constructing submarine cables for an artificial energy island,” the release said. “This will enhance our competitiveness in securing large-scale artificial island projects that Denmark and other countries are planning.”

Artificial energy islands are innovative solutions designed to manage and optimize the distribution of renewable energy generated from offshore sources. The global shift towards renewable energy is a critical context for this event, as countries around the world invest in renewable energy infrastructure to combat climate change and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Projects like Princess Elisabeth Island are part of this broader effort.

The geopolitical aspect of energy distribution is also significant. The artificial island will connect energy grids between Belgium, the U.K., and Denmark, highlighting the collaborative efforts in Europe to create a more integrated and resilient energy network. This project not only marks a significant milestone for LS Cable & System, a South Korean company specializing in cable manufacturing, but also showcases their capabilities in producing and installing submarine cables for complex, large-scale projects.

As the project progresses, LS Cable & System’s involvement in Princess Elisabeth Island will likely pave the way for future opportunities in the renewable energy sector, enhancing their position in the global market and contributing to the ongoing transition towards sustainable energy solutions.

A press release said that the project is a turnkey project that includes cable delivery, construction, and installation. The cables will be supplied by LS Cable & System for 230 kV and above, and by LS Cable & System Asia for 66 kV and below.

LS Cable & System has been actively targeting the Singapore market since 2010 and has established itself as a key supplier with the No. 1 market share. LS Cable & System has won contracts in Singapore worth about $260 million, “making it the No. 1 player in Asia’s largest high-voltage market.” Singapore’s electricity grid is composed of underground cables that pass under the ground without building transmission towers. Competition is fierce among global cable companies from Europe and elsewhere for high-value-added underground cable business.

9/8/21 -- LS Cable & System (LSC&S) announced that the South Korean company will expand its submarine cable capacity at its campus in Donghae City, Gangwon-do.

A press release said that LSC&S will build an additional submarine cable plant in Building No. 2 of the Donghae City campus, which is in the Gangwon Province. The site now has three plants. The fourth plant will feature the tallest power cable production tower in South Korea. When completed, the vertical continuous extraction system tower will be as tall as a 63-story apartment, the tallest structure in Donghae City. Construction will start this October and is expected to be completed by the end of April 2023. The project, estimated to cost more than $161 million, will increase LSC&S’s submarine cable production capacity more than 1.5 times. The 172-m-tall tower is expected to improve cable insulation quality and increase productivity.

LSC&S built Korea’s first submarine cable plant in Donghae City in 2008, and has invested about US$296 million to date. The existing plant, which has a total floor area of 84,000 sq m, will get an additional 31,000 sq m.

“As countries around the world are increasing investments in renewable energy to become carbon neutral, the submarine cable market is also growing,” said LSC&S President & CEO Myung Roe-Hyun. “We will contribute to the national economy by expanding domestic investments.”

LS Cable & System (LSC&S) announced that the company has completed building its first plant in Africa, located in an industrial city in Egypt.

A press release said that LSC&S established a joint venture with a local cable installation company, MAN, Tenth of Ramadan City, near Cairo, in January 2020. The company wants to expand its market presence to East African and Middle Eastern countries, which have a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with Egypt.

“Export barriers are rising due to the forming of regional economic blocks around the world,” said Myung Roe-Hyun, President & CEO of LS Cable & System. “We will reinforce our competitiveness by directly investing in key hub countries.” With the Egyptian subsidiary, LSC&S now has 11 overseas production subsidiaries, including those in the U.S., China, Vietnam and Poland.

The release noted that the Egyptian cable market is annually growing by more than 5% due to facts such as population growth and the need to replace and upgrade old power grids. “There is a high demand for power cables in Africa, including Egypt, but export barriers are high due to the high tariffs (about 20%) and logistics costs,” said a LSC&S official. “We are planning to secure price competitiveness through local production and use the customer networks of our partners to get the business on the right track as soon as possible.”