Dasan Networks to join infrastructure reconstruction in Ukraine

South Korean telecommunications equipment provider Dasan Networks said Thursday it is seeking to join forces to rebuild the power grid and communication network of Ukraine.

The company’s European business chief, Ra Gil-joo, attended the annual conference of the International Energy Cluster held in Kyiv on June 7, during which he introduced the company’s will to help rebuild the war-torn country.

“We plan to participate in the prioritized reconstruction of power and communication networks and explore joint opportunities in power generation through our subsidiary, DTS,” Ra, CEO of Dasan Networks Europe, said during the conference. “We will support the reconstruction of Ukraine through various business partnerships in the future."

Established in June 2018 in Kyiv, the International Energy Cluster is a private organization that aims to form partnerships and develop human resources in the energy sector, focusing on power substation design and construction, renewable energy facility construction and communication systems. Member countries include Germany, Ukraine and other countries of the European Union.

On Sept. 15 last year, the member countries agreed with Ukraine’s Ministry of Energy to take joint action for the reconstruction of the country’s energy infrastructure.

As a full member of the energy cluster, Dasan Networks is also participating in a pilot project for the European Union-standard power grid in Mykolaiv, southern Ukraine, in collaboration with other power line companies.

The company also unveiled plans for the installation of modern high-voltage underground lines spanning 1,000 kilometers across embattled areas in the eastern and southern borders in collaboration with Ukrenergo, a Ukrainian state-owned power company.

The reconstruction project will be carried out in three main areas: the outskirts of the Kyiv metropolitan area, the eastern region around the city of Kharkiv, and the southern region around Mykolaiv.

The company said it is also in talks to join air defense substation and 5G fiber optic communication network pilot projects.

Prior to the conference, Ra visited Mykolaiv to meet with Vitalii Oleksandrovych Kim, the governor of the city’s province, Mykolaiv Oblast, and conducted an on-site inspection.

He also met with Hanna Volodimirivna Zamazeeva, the director of Ukraine's State Agency on Energy Efficiency and Energy Saving. He was asked to contribute to supplying modular combined heat and power generators that use eco-friendly wood fuel.

Dasan Networks has been expanding its presence in Ukraine for several years by establishing a partnership with Kyiv Polytechnic Institute and hosting a fiber optic communication academy. Recently, the company established an office in the capital, pursuing collaboration in various fields such as telecommunications and power networks.