South Korean 640 kV HVDC cable test center ready for business

February 3, 2026, by Nadja Skopljak

South Korean Taihan Cable & Solution has finalized the construction of a dedicated cable test center that enables simultaneous testing of two 640 kV-class HVDC cable circuits.

The test center spans approximately 7,000 square meters and is located at the company’s Dangjin Cable Plant, enabling close integration with existing production infrastructure. A ceremony to mark the completion was held on January 29.

The facility can simultaneously test two 640 kV-class HVDC cable circuits (links), both onshore and submarine, expected to shorten product development and certification timelines and enable faster incorporation of customer requirements

As the South Korean company said, this strengthens its competitiveness in winning contracts and overall market responsiveness.

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According to Taihan, a key feature of the center is the consolidation of critical testing equipment required to verify the safety and reliability of HVDC cables. Designed to comprehensively evaluate a wide range of performance characteristics in a single location, the facility provides a one-stop testing environment without the need to relocate equipment or rely on separate facilities.

Thanks to this dedicated infrastructure, Taihan said it can now conduct long-term reliability testing (PQ Test), which typically takes over a year, as well as temporary overvoltage (TOV) testing, a key required test in international HVDC cable qualification processes.

“The HVDC test center is a cornerstone infrastructure that demonstrates Taihan’s technological strength. By internalizing the entire process—from product development and validation to certification—we are now able to proactively respond to domestic and international HVDC projects, including the ‘West Coast Energy Highway’ initiative,” Taihan’s Vice Chairman Song Jong-min said.

Of note, in December 2022, the company developed Korea’s first 500 kV LCC HVDC cable system, followed by a 525 kV VSC HVDC cable system.

Taihan in September 2025 began the construction of its second submarine cable manufacturing facility, which will, once operational, deliver a production capacity nearly five times greater than its first submarine cable plant.

The Dangjin Submarine Cable Plant 2 is designed to manufacture 640 kV-class HVDC and 400 kV-class HVAC submarine cables.