HD Hyundai Electric eyes Europe with greener grid technology

HD Hyundai Electric said Monday it has developed Korea’s first 420-kilovolt circuit breaker that does not use sulfur hexafluoride, positioning the company to tap Europe’s growing market for greener power grid equipment.

Sulfur hexafluoride, or SF6, is widely used to insulate high-voltage equipment but is subject to tightening European Union regulations due to its potent greenhouse gas effect.

The new circuit breaker instead uses a C4-based insulating gas. HD Hyundai Electric said the alternative gas required an entirely new design to ensure stable, long-term performance under the extreme conditions faced by critical national power grids.

The company began developing its SF6-free circuit breaker lineup with a 170kV model in 2021, followed by 145kV and 72.5kV products.

The latest 420kV model is particularly important for the European market. The 400kV-class transmission networks in which it will be installed account for more than half of the grids operated by Europe’s major transmission system operators.

Demand for SF6-free high-voltage circuit breakers is expected to grow as the EU tightens restrictions on fluorinated greenhouse gases and investment in grid infrastructure accelerates. HD Hyundai Electric expects the European market to reach about 3 trillion won ($2.1 billion) by 2030.

The company said it underwent preliminary qualification reviews by European transmission system operators while developing the product, helping clear the way for future supply deals.

HD Hyundai Electric now plans to build a stable order pipeline through long-term contracts.

“We are pursuing a long-term supply agreement with a major British power company and aim to secure our first order by the end of this year or early next year,” a company official said.

The company also plans to complete SF6-free circuit breakers in the 300kV and 362kV classes within three years, further expanding its portfolio for the global green power equipment market.