LS Electric will jointly develop "distribution grid-forming" technology with Korea Electric Power Corporation (KEPCO) to secure the stability of distribution systems, whose importance has grown with the expansion of renewable energy.
LS Electric said on the 15th that it signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) for cooperation on distribution-level power electronics technology with KEPCO at LS Tower in Anyang, Gyeonggi Province, on the 14th. The signing was attended by Seo Jang-cheol, LS Electric's chief technology officer (CTO, executive director) for power, and Kim Dae-han, head of KEPCO's Korea Electric Power Research Institute, along with other key officials from both sides.
Under the agreement, the two companies will jointly promote research and development and demonstrations across distribution-level power electronics technology. Key areas of cooperation include grid-forming technology to support distribution networks, next-generation smart transformers, and grid-connected microgrid technology, including black start functions.
The core task, "grid-forming for distribution network support," is a technology in which inverter-based distributed resources such as solar, wind, and energy storage systems (ESS) form the grid's voltage and frequency on their own, unlike conventional grid-following, which simply tracks the existing system's voltage and frequency, thereby easing distribution network variability and supporting stable system operation.
Distribution grid-forming technology is still in the early stages of commercialization worldwide, and LS Electric and KEPCO plan to pursue joint commercialization for global export after domestic demonstrations through this joint research.
In addition, the two sides will also conduct parallel research on microgrid technology based on smart transformers—which combine digital communications to monitor and control grid conditions in real time—and black start, which rapidly restarts the system using its own emergency power during large-scale outages.
An LS Electric official said, "As inverter-based distributed resources surge, the importance of distribution grid-forming technology, which sets its own reference and stabilizes the grid, is growing by the day," adding, "By combining LS Electric's power equipment and power conversion solutions with the distribution system research capabilities of KEPCO's Korea Electric Power Research Institute, we will secure distribution network technology optimized for a distributed energy environment, take the lead in the global market, and further enhance the export competitiveness of Korea's power technology."