KEPCO rallies industry to commercialize direct current power systems

Korea Electric Power Corp. (KEPCO) convened a coalition of government officials, manufacturers and researchers Thursday to fast-track the commercialization of direct current (DC) power systems, a move driven by surging electricity demand from artificial intelligence data centers. About 120 participants attended the "K-DC Industry Expansion 2026" event at LS Electric's Cheonan base under the theme, "Beyond DC Demonstration to Industry." KEPCO said the event marked a shift from pilot projects to broader industrial adoption of direct current technologies across the power grid and commercial facilities. The utility plans to expand its direct current portfolio beyond high-voltage direct current transmission into medium- and low-voltage distribution systems for industrial complexes, factories and data centers. The company also said it will promote large-scale projects aligned with government policy while developing commercial business models designed to attract sustained private-sector investment. To speed up commercialization, KEPCO plans to establish a fast-track framework linking standards,