Taihan Cable wins W90b cable system supply deal in California

South Korean electric wire and cable maker Taihan Cable & Solution said Thursday it has secured a 90 billion-won ($67.5 million) cable system supply deal in the US.

The company has been selected as supplier to US-based LS Power Grid California for 320-kilovolt voltage source converters used in high-voltage direct-current (HVDC) transmission and a 500-kilovolt heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) power systems.

Making its first foray into North America’s high-capacity, long-distance transmission market, Taihan Cable & Solution will install cables for power grids in Silicon Valley and San Jose in Northern California, which show rising electricity demand.

The company stressed that its HVAC systems involve power transmission and converter stations that are more easily installed and can be adopted in renewable energy generation including wind power and solar energy, compared to those using current source converters.

Only a handful of global companies have developed HVDC systems with voltage source converters, Taihan Cable & Solution said, adding that it rolled out South Korea’s first 525-kilovolt HVDC cable system covering a 3,000-square-millimeter cross-sectional area with a maximum operating temperature of 90 degrees Celsius.

The 500-kilovolt HVAC, also the first of its kind in South Korea, is the highest voltage cable among commercially available underground cables worldwide. It was designated as one of the nation’s key technologies as well.

“HVDC transmission and 500-kilovolt HVAC projects require strong expertise for cable installation,” stated an official from Taihan Cable & Solution. “As we build on our track record within the future electric grid sector, which is also a value-added market, it will be a stepping stone for us to expand footing in North America.”

The company has posted a 610 billion-won order backlog as of September.