KEPCO eyes US market with Columbia grid project

정치교 한국전력 안전영업배전 부사장(오른쪽)이 다니엘 리켄만 미국 컬럼비아시장과 13일(현지시간) 미국 사우스캐롤라이나주 컬럼비아 시의회에서 '배전망 기술협력 MOU'를 체결하고 기념촬영하고 있다.[사진=한국전력]

SEOUL, January 14 (AJP) - Korea Electric Power Corp. (KEPCO) said Wednesday it has signed a technology cooperation agreement with the city of Columbia, S.C., as it looks to expand its business in the U.S., the world’s largest electricity market.

KEPCO said it signed a memorandum of understanding on power distribution grid technology cooperation on Jan. 13, local time, at Columbia City Hall. The agreement was signed by Jung Chi-kyo, KEPCO’s executive vice president, and Columbia Mayor Daniel Rickenmann.

The partnership is aimed at adapting KEPCO’s distribution grid operating technologies to U.S. market conditions. The company plans to pursue demonstration projects and commercialization in the U.S. for its in-house systems, including an advanced distribution management system, or ADMS, and an energy management platform known as K-BEMS.

Under the agreement, KEPCO and the city of Columbia will form a joint working group involving KEPCO’s research arm, the Korea Institute of Energy Technology, the Electric Power Research Institute and the University of South Carolina.

The group will develop a U.S.-tailored distribution grid operations solution and carry out a demonstration project using Columbia’s power grid.

KEPCO said Columbia’s plan to source 100 percent of its electricity from renewable energy by 2036 has heightened the need to improve efficiency in aging distribution networks and to manage the growing use of distributed energy resources.

Applying KEPCO’s operating technology is expected to enhance grid safety and help lower energy costs, the company said.

KEPCO described the project as its first step into the U.S. power distribution market, saying it will use the Columbia project as a reference case for expanding South Korean grid technologies more broadly across the U.S. power sector.

“KEPCO’s distribution operations know-how and proven technology can contribute to improving service quality and supporting local economic development,” Jung said.
Choi Ye-ji 기자 ruizhi@ajunews.com

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