KEPCO Accelerates Grid Digitalization with GE Vernova’s EMS/SCADA Solutions

KEPCO (Korea Electric Power Corporation), South Korea’s largest state-owned electric utility company, plays a critical role in generating, transmitting, and distributing electricity across the nation. With a 100% transmission and distribution market share and a close to 60% share in electricity generation through its group of subsidiaries, the utility plays a dominant role in the delivery of energy to its region.

This role as the backbone of South Korea’s energy sector and power supply provided KEPCO with a keen understanding of the need for an efficient control and monitoring system to ensure the stability and reliability of its power grid operations.

It introduced its first SCADA (Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition) system in 1981, marking a significant step in automating its vast grid operations.

Driven by the rapid growth of South Korea’s energy sector, KEPCO faced rising energy demands and growing emerging challenges to integrate renewable energy sources, electric vehicles, and smart grid technologies. The utility leader immediately recognized the need to upgrade and modernize its aging operations with cutting-edge technology.

To digitalize its entire grid operations, KEPCO sought a technology partner capable of supporting the consolidation of 89 fragmented SCADA platforms, including local and global EMS/SCADA systems scattered across multiple sites in Korea, into one unified and intelligent SCADA system. A necessary transformation, critical to enhancing the performance and reliability of grid operations.

Furthermore, to ensure reliable operations of its complex power grid, KEPCO aimed to develop a robust backup system to respond to frequent faults and minimize downtime, reduce operation and maintenance costs, achieve accurate time synchronization, and monitor its expansive and complex grid—all within a unified synchronized platform for efficient, stable, and reliable performance.

To achieve these goals, KEPCO needed to overcome several technological challenges such as:

Architecture Development:
To address these challenges and to build a smarter, fully digitalized power grid, KEPCO engaged GE Vernova to help transform the utility’s energy management and grid operations. GE Vernova led the design and development of the xGrids SCADA architecture, utilizing the advanced capabilities of its GE Vernova EMS/SCADA Platform.

System Architecture:

xGrids SCADA Migration and Integration:
KEPCO undertook a large-scale migration effort, transitioning from 89 fragmented SCADA systems to GE Vernova's latest unified standard platform. The platform seamlessly integrates key systems such as the Energy Storage System (ESS), renewables, Distribution Automation Systems (DAS), High Voltage Direct Current (HVDC), and Flexible AC Transmission Systems (FACTS), thereby strengthening grid stability.

Protocol Standardization:
KEPCO and GE Vernova jointly developed the KEPCO DNP 1.0 Protocol, compatible with the DNP3 standard, to standardize grid communication. They expanded the XALink/TMDT Application Protocol to meet KEPCO's EMS/SCADA requirements and utilized GE Vernova EMS APIs for custom client development, significantly boosting operational efficiency.

Platform Innovations:
The new platform facilitated a more unified integration of cutting-edge innovations that redefined system reliability, automation, scalability, and cybersecurity, positioning KEPCO as a leader in global power grid innovation.
Key innovations that were crucial to the successful deployment of the xGrids SCADA system include:

Built on GE Vernova’s unified GE Vernova EMS/SCADA platform, KEPCO leveraged the GE Vernova EMS solution to revolutionize its power system operations. This solution offers unparalleled capabilities for near real-time data collection, analysis, fault detection, and grid control, helping to ensure more efficient and secure power system operations.

Leveraging the xGrids platform, KEPCO developed 21 types of intelligent grid solutions based on power grid big data. These solutions enhanced grid management capabilities and empowered operators with real-time GIS-based visualization, enhanced UX display and predictive stability tools—significantly improving situational awareness and grid resilience.

Innovation highlights:

These innovations emphasized KEPCO's leadership in intelligent grid management and highlighted the transformative impact of the xGrids SCADA system.

As part of this project, KEPCO not only reduced annual CAPEX but also achieved Six Sigma level system availability, among other metrics. Key outcomes from this project:

The successful deployment of xGrids SCADA marks a key milestone in KEPCO’s digital transformation journey. Building on the success of the xGrids SCADA platform, GE Vernova and KEPCO are well-positioned to explore and pursue further modernization initiatives in digital transformation and energy transition.