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From left: Kim Ki-soo, Head of North America Region at LS Cable & System; Rick West, Mayor of Chesapeake; Carrie Chenery, Secretary of Commerce and Trade for Virginia; Koo Bon-kyu, President & CEO of LS Cable & System; Abigail Spanberger, Governor of Virginia; Tim Kaine, U.S. Senator; Bobby Scott, U.S. Representative; and Shim Yoon-chan, Managing Director of LS GreenLink, take a commemorative photo at the groundbreaking ceremony for the VCV tower of the subsea cable plant under construction in Chesapeake, Virginia. / Courtesy of LS Cable & System

LS Cable & System is accelerating its expansion into the North American power infrastructure market by breaking ground on key production facilities at the United States' largest subsea cable manufacturing hub. The company's strategic move aims to strengthen its local manufacturing competitiveness to capitalize on surging power demand driven by the replacement of aging power grids and the explosive growth of AI data centers.

On the 25th, LS Cable & System announced that its U.S. manufacturing subsidiary, LS GreenLink, has commenced construction on a Vertical Continuous Vulcanization (VCV) tower at its subsea cable plant currently under development in Chesapeake, Virginia.

Slated to become the largest subsea cable production facility in the United States, the LS GreenLink plant targets completion in the second half of 2027, with commercial production scheduled to begin in the first quarter of 2028.

The groundbreaking ceremony was attended by key government and political figures, including Koo Bon-kyu, President & CEO of LS Cable & System, alongside Virginia Governor Abigail Spanberger and U.S. Senator Tim Kaine.

The VCV tower is a core manufacturing asset utilized to form the insulation layer of extra-high voltage subsea cables. By producing cables vertically, the facility minimizes the effects of gravity, thereby enhancing both product quality and production efficiency. Upon its completion, the 201-meter-tall structure is projected to become the world's largest VCV facility and the tallest landmark in the state of Virginia.

LS Cable & System intends to leverage this new infrastructure to significantly boost its supply capacity across the North American market. While the United States is rapidly expanding its investments in power transmission infrastructure due to aging grid updates and the proliferation of AI data centers, the country currently possesses only one large-scale subsea cable manufacturing plant. The company expects LS GreenLink to position itself as the largest manufacturing hub in the U.S. once operational.

Furthermore, LS Cable & System is actively aligning with local manufacturing enforcement policies. As the U.S. government prioritizes domestic production to secure energy security and fortify its supply chain, LS Cable & System—together with LS Marine Solution—will target the extra-high voltage transmission network market, while Gaon Cable addresses the AI data center power infrastructure sector, collectively establishing a comprehensive power value chain in North America.

"LS GreenLink will serve as a strategic hub capable of supplying not only North America but also the European market," said Koo Bon-kyu, President & CEO of LS Cable & System. "We will continuously expand our market footprint based on our localized production capabilities and technological edge."

                                                                                                          Lee Seo-yeon