West Coast Energy Expressway HVDC Localization and Plant Expansions

under construction and planned

Korean power equipment companies are aggressively investing in high-voltage direct current (HVDC) technology to support government-led power grid expansion projects such as the West Coast energy expressway (Saemangeum–Seohwaseong) and the Donghae–Seoul metropolitan transmission and distribution network. LS ELECTRIC expanded its Busan extra-high-voltage transformer plant to increase production capacity by three to four times. HD Hyundai Electric is expanding its Ulsan extra-high-voltage transformer plant with an investment of 211.8 billion won, expected to complete in 2026. Hyosung Heavy Industries is building a dedicated HVDC transformer production plant in Changwon with an investment of 330 billion won, aiming for completion in 2027. The government has selected HVDC as a super-innovation economic project and plans to support it with fiscal, tax, finance, talent training, and regulatory improvements, including a 12 billion won allocation in the 2026 budget proposal.