LG Energy Solution said Friday it has been selected as an operator for a government-backed project to develop artificial intelligence-based energy storage systems, with the goal of increasing power grid capacity across South Korea’s southwestern region.
The South Korean battery maker said it was chosen for the Ministry of Climate, Energy and Environment’s program for AI-powered ESS, connected to the electricity distribution network.
LG Energy Solution participated in the bidding process by forming a consortium with Shinhan Asset Management.
The program marks the first government-supported project in South Korea dedicated to deploying ESS facilities directly on the distribution network. It is designed to reduce grid congestion and allow more renewable energy facilities to access the network.
A total of nine operators covering 32 distribution lines were selected under the program. LG Energy Solution secured the largest share, winning seven distribution lines with a combined storage capacity of 140 megawatt-hours, the maximum allocation available to a single operator.
The eight other operators are VPP Lab, Kepco KDN, SK Eternix, HD Hyundai Electric, Gridwiz, Korea East-West Power, Korea Midland Power and Hyundai Engineering & Construction.
Under the project, LG Energy Solution will supply high-performance batteries and oversee the construction and AI-based operation of the storage systems. Commercial operations are scheduled to begin in 2027, with the facilities expected to operate for 20 years.
The company said the project is expected to enable the connection of 40 megawatts of solar power facilities in the Honam region that are currently waiting for access to the grid.
It is also expected to allow the regional power network to accommodate an additional 52.4 gigawatt-hours of renewable electricity annually.
“We will accelerate the growth of our business based on our AI-powered ESS operating capabilities and contribute to stabilizing the national power grid,” Kang Chang-beom, head of LG Energy Solution’s ESS battery division, said.
sahn@heraldcorp.com