LS Electric Chairman Koo Jakyun: "Intelligent DC Distribution Is a Sure Solution to AI Power Demand"

Keynote address at CIRED Workshop
"Reliable power grids must fully support operations"
Emphasized DC and intelligent platforms

Koo Jakyun, chairman of LS Electric, said, "The surest solution to meeting the explosive demand for electricity from artificial intelligence (AI) is an intelligent power grid based on direct current (DC)."

Chairman Koo made the remarks on November 2 during a keynote address at the 2026 International Conference on Electricity Distribution (CIRED) Workshop, held at the JW Marriott Dongdaemun Square in Seoul, where he presented a vision for building next-generation intelligent DC power grids. It was the first time since its founding that the CIRED Workshop, a world-renowned industry exhibition in the power distribution sector, was held in Asia. The event is seen as evidence that Korea's power industry has emerged as a key player leading next-generation distribution technology, standing shoulder to shoulder with traditional powerhouses such as North America and Europe.

In his address, Chairman Koo presented a solution to the power shortage brought on by the expansion of AI infrastructure. "Reliable power grids must fully support the stable operation of AI data centers, which consume enormous amounts of electricity," he said. "We need to build a powerful virtuous cycle in which increasingly sophisticated AI, in turn, makes power grids smarter and manages them more efficiently through forecasting."

Chairman Koo singled out "direct current" and "intelligent platforms" as key elements in completing the future power grid ecosystem. "We must move beyond the old method of transmitting electricity in one direction and provide customer-tailored power infrastructure for data centers and other facilities by bringing DC and alternating current (AC) together," he said.

LS Electric Chairman Koo Jaekyun. LS Electric.

Chairman Koo went on to say, "We must evolve into an 'intelligent, bidirectional energy platform' that combines data and AI with power equipment to detect anomalies early and flexibly exchange energy." He added, "The next chapter for the power distribution industry is to go beyond simply delivering electricity and become a core platform that drives explosive growth in global industries."

LS Electric is demonstrating its technological competitiveness by expanding its DC-based power infrastructure business in North America. The company made an early entry into the United States, where power demand is surging as AI data centers proliferate, and has secured successive orders for high-efficiency power conversion systems (PCS) and power solutions tailored to data centers. Through these efforts, it is strengthening its position as a leading global power solutions provider.

According to industry sources, rising power demand from AI data centers is driving growth in the global power distribution market. The power infrastructure market, including distribution equipment such as switchgear and transformers, is projected to exceed approximately $150 billion (about 200 trillion won) by 2030. Analysts say that as the global power market shifts from grids centered on AC to those centered on DC, the transition to DC-based power grids will become a major driver of future growth in the power distribution market.

An LS Electric representative said, "This keynote address formally announced on the world stage that the paradigm for future power grids has shifted entirely to DC, with Chairman Koo representing Korea's power industry." The representative added, "With firm confidence in our ability to lead the next-generation market and our DC platform technology at the forefront, we will establish K-Power as a 'rule maker' in the global power distribution market and lead global demand for AI power infrastructure."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.