KEPCO and HD Hyundai Electric Roll Out 500 kV HVDC Converter Transformers for Yongin Semiconductor Supercluster
Korea Electric Power Corporation (KEPCO) and HD Hyundai Electric have completed factory acceptance testing and commenced delivery of the first commercial 500...
KEPCO and HD Hyundai Electric Roll Out 500 kV HVDC Converter Transformers for Yongin Semiconductor Supercluster
Korea Electric Power Corporation (KEPCO) and HD Hyundai Electric have completed factory acceptance testing and commenced delivery of the first commercial 500 kV direct-current converter transformers from Ulsan, supplying the critical East Coast-to-Seoul HVDC backbone designed to power South Korea’s $470 billion Yongin semiconductor mega-cluster.
- Publish date: 2026-10-01
- Category: Transformers & Grid
- Original source: Korea Electric Power Corporation (KEPCO) & HD Hyundai Electric
- Reading time: 5 min
Powering the World’s Largest Semiconductor Manufacturing Mega-Hub
The Yongin Semiconductor Cluster in Gyeonggi Province requires an unprecedented electrical baseload exceeding 10 GW by 2030 to supply advanced AI chip fabrication lines operated by Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix. To wheel power from coastal generation without overloading congested metropolitan AC lines, KEPCO prioritized the ±500 kV East Coast-to-Seoul HVDC bipole.
On October 1, 2026, HD Hyundai Electric delivered the initial shipment of heavy 500 kV single-phase converter transformers from its specialized smart factory in Ulsan. The units feature high-temperature aramid insulation barriers and precision-wound transposed copper conductors engineered for continuous full-power direct-current operation.
Advanced DC Converter Insulation and Seismic Damping
Converter transformers experience combined AC and DC dielectric stresses alongside harmonic currents generated by high-power thyristor and VSC valve halls. HD Hyundai Electric integrated automated oil-flow modeling and specialized composite resin-impregnated paper (RIP) bushings tested to withstand combined lightning impulses exceeding 1,675 kV.
Additionally, the transformer base frames are fitted with multi-directional elastomeric seismic dampers certified to survive magnitude 7.0 earthquakes, ensuring continuous uninterrupted power flow to sensitive extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography tools.
Commercial Energization Target and Industrial Resilience
Site installation at the western converter terminal in Shingodeok will continue through mid-2027, with high-voltage testing scheduled ahead of commercial energization by late 2027. KEPCO confirmed the link will transport up to 8,000 MW of clean coastal power directly into the metropolitan capital region.
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