Photograph) Key figures take a commemorative photo at the VCV tower groundbreaking ceremony for the submarine cable plant under construction in Chesapeake, Virginia. (From left: Kim Ki-soo, head of North America Region at LS Cable & System; Rick West, mayor of Chesapeake; Carrie Chenery, Virginia secretary of commerce and trade; Koo Bon-kyu, president & CEO of LS Cable & System; Abigail Spanberger, governor of Virginia; Tim Kaine, US senator; Bobby Scott, US representative; and Shim Yun-chan, managing director of LS GreenLink)


■ World's largest VCV facility will strengthen production competitiveness
■ Targeting two major markets: extra-high-voltage power grids and AI data centers
■ Completing North American power value chain alongside Gaon Cable and LS Marine Solution


LS Cable & System announced on the 25th that its US production subsidiary, LS GreenLink, recently began construction on the vertical continuous vulcanization (VCV) tower at its submarine cable manufacturing plant currently under construction in Chesapeake, Virginia.
 
The largest submarine cable production base in the US, the LS GreenLink plant is scheduled to complete construction in the second half of 2027 and commence commercial production in the first quarter of 2028.
 
Key political and government figures attended the event, including Koo Bon-kyu, president and CEO of LS Cable & System; Abigail Spanberger, governor of Virginia; and Tim Kaine, US senator.
 
The VCV tower is a core production facility that forms the insulation layer of cables. Vertical manufacturing minimizes the influence of gravity, boosting both quality and productivity. At 201 meters tall, this VCV tower is expected to be the world's largest, as well as the tallest structure in Virginia.
 
With the US promoting investments in large-scale power transmission infrastructure to replace aging power grids and respond to the proliferation of AI data centers, the market is showing accelerating growth. As there is currently only one large-scale submarine cable production facility in the US, the new plant will make LS GreenLink the country's largest producer.
 
LS Cable & System is fast-tracking its North American strategy in response to expanding policies favoring local production aimed at strengthening energy security and supply chains. Along with LS Marine Solution, it is targeting the extra-high-voltage power transmission grid market, while Gaon Cable is focusing on the AI data center power infrastructure market. Together, the three companies are building a comprehensive North American power value chain.
 
"LS GreenLink provides a strategic base capable of supplying both the North American and European market," said Koo Bon-kyu, president and CEO of LS Cable & System. "We will continue to expand our market presence based on our local production capabilities and technological competitiveness."
 
"The LS GreenLink plant is symbolic, demonstrating Virginia's competitiveness in advanced manufacturing," said Virginia Governor Abigail Spanberger. "We expect it to make a big contribution to creating high-quality jobs and advancing our energy infrastructure."