Gaon Cable said Monday it plans to add a nuclear power cable production line at its US subsidiary in North Carolina, targeting growing demand as the country expands nuclear capacity to meet surging electricity needs.
The South Korean cable maker will establish the line at LSCUS in Tabor City, expanding its US-made portfolio beyond overhead transmission lines to specialized cables for conventional nuclear reactors and small modular reactors.
The move comes as soaring power demand from artificial intelligence data centers and heightened energy security concerns drive renewed investment in nuclear energy, according to the company.
Nuclear power plants can require more than 50,000 electrical cable circuits, spanning power, control and instrumentation systems. Different functions and installation environments require a broad range of specialized cables, often produced in relatively small volumes.
LSCUS plans to obtain the certifications required to supply the US nuclear industry using Gaon Cable's specialized cable technology. It will also seek partnerships with Korean nuclear energy companies to enter the US supply chain.
Gaon Cable expects demand to come not only from new reactors and SMRs but also from cable replacement at aging nuclear plants. The company sees further opportunities as Korean nuclear companies expand their participation in US projects.
“We expect new opportunities for local equipment suppliers as the US nuclear market expands and Korean companies increase their participation in American projects,” a company official said.
“We plan to draw on our experience in producing power and control cables and LSCUS' local manufacturing base to expand our presence in the US nuclear market.”
yejinlim@heraldcorp.com