[By NBC-1TV H. J Yook]On the 15st, LS Cable & System (President & CEO: Ja-Eun Koo) announced that the company had won a project to supply 230kV level extra high voltage underground cables and connectors worth $12.7 million (approx. KRW 14.5 billion) to SMECO (Southern Maryland Electric Cooperative, Inc.) located in the state of Maryland (U.S.A.). The cables and connectors will be used for implementing a new power transmission and distribution network being built to handle the increased power demand in the southern part of the state.

It is noteworthy that this project is to establish an extra high voltage cable network across the Patuxent River for a length of 1.5km at the riverbed. Considering that underground extra high voltage cables are generally connected in 500m units to prevent productivity and management-related problems, this project requires not only the capacity to produce 1.5km of 230kV level cables without connectors, but also outstanding technological power and expertise in all areas of a cable project implementation ranging from cable transportation and installation to composition of the power network. LS Cable & System was highly evaluated of its excellent technological expertise to be the first in the industry last year to win a project for 225kV extra high voltage cables from EDF, the French Electricity Board. In addition, LS Cable & System has gained world-class expertise to maintain its No. 1 position in the Middle Eastern extra high voltage cable market for several years.

In the U.S., the existing power networks were built during the 1960s and 1970s. As a result, demand for new networks is increasing in order to replace ageing power networks as well as to address increased power consumption. In addition, compared to the overhead cables that require electric poles to be installed above ground, underground cables are now preferred especially by land owners because of their low impact upon the environment and added safety. Currently, there are around 3,500 power generation, transmission and distribution service providers in the U.S. and, as of the end of 2011, the capacity of power generation facilities in the U.S. is 1,072Gw, which makes the U.S. the world’s No. 1 country in terms of power generation and consumption. The country is now focusing on building out an advanced smart-grid network with the goal to have at least 20% of total power production be delivered by new and renewable energy sources by 2030.

“This contract holds great significance in that LS Cable & System won it through competition with leading cable makers from Japan and Europe based on our expertise for successful project implementation and the excellence of our extra high voltage cable products,” said Overseas Energy Sales & Promotion Division Director Heonsang Lee. “LS Cable & System will be engaged in active marketing targeting electricity suppliers and EPC companies in each state of the USA.”