The cable maker begins construction of a 660-foot tower at what it says will become the largest U.S. subsea cable factory
From left, LS Cable & System North America executive Kim Ki-soo, Chesapeake Mayor Rick West, Virginia Secretary of Commerce and Trade Carrie H. Chenery, LS Cable & System CEO Koo Bon-kyu, Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger, U.S. Sen. Tim Kaine, U.S. Rep. Bobby Scott and LS GreenLink Managing Director Patrick Y. Shim attend a VCV tower groundbreaking ceremony in Chesapeake, Va. Photo courtesy of LS Cable & System
South Korea’s LS Cable & System has begun building a key production facility at what it says will become the largest subsea cable factory in the United States, accelerating its expansion into the North American power infrastructure market.
The company plans to strengthen its local production capabilities as the replacement of aging U.S. power grids and expansion of artificial intelligence data centers drive demand for electricity transmission infrastructure.
LS Cable said Thursday that its U.S. manufacturing subsidiary, LS GreenLink, had started construction of a vertical continuous vulcanization, or VCV, tower at its subsea cable plant in Chesapeake, Va.
The plant is scheduled for completion in the second half of 2027, with commercial production expected to begin in the first quarter of 2028.
LS Cable & System CEO Koo Bon-kyu attended a groundbreaking ceremony Wednesday with Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger, U.S. Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., U.S. Rep. Bobby Scott, D-Va., and state and local officials.
A VCV tower is a core production facility used to form the insulation layer of high-voltage subsea cables. Producing cables vertically minimizes the effects of gravity, improving product quality and manufacturing efficiency.
The tower will stand 660 feet, or 201 meters, when completed. LS Cable said it will be the world’s tallest VCV tower and the tallest structure in Virginia.
The company plans to use the facility to increase its ability to supply the North American market.
The United States is expanding investment in transmission infrastructure as it replaces aging power grids and responds to rising electricity demand from AI data centers. LS Cable said the country currently has only one large-scale subsea cable production facility.
The company expects the LS GreenLink factory to become the largest domestic production center of its kind once operations begin.
LS Cable also plans to respond to U.S. policies encouraging domestic manufacturing and stronger energy supply chains.
Under its North American strategy, LS GreenLink and LS Marine Solution will focus on the high-voltage transmission market while Gaon Cable will target power infrastructure for AI data centers.
The companies are seeking to establish an integrated North American power infrastructure supply chain covering cable manufacturing, installation and data-center electricity systems.
“LS GreenLink is a strategic base capable of supplying not only North America but also the European market,” Koo said.
“We will continue expanding our market presence based on our local production capabilities and technological competitiveness,” he said.
— Reported by Asia Today; translated by UPI
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Original Korean report: https://www.asiatoday.co.kr/kn/view.php?key=20260625010008759
