HD Hyundai Electric (267260.KS) said Friday it has completed final approval testing for a high-voltage circuit breaker that uses no SF6 (sulfur hexafluoride), the first such product independently developed in Korea, and will supply it to a substation operated by a Swedish power utility.
The "SF6-free" high-voltage circuit breaker is an environmentally friendly power device that does not use SF6, a representative fluorinated greenhouse gas. HD Hyundai Electric developed and produced the 145-kilovolt (kV) model. SF6 has been widely used in high-voltage power equipment for its superior insulation and breaking performance, but its global warming potential (GWP) is 23,500 times that of carbon dioxide, making it a target of regulation in various countries.
The European Union revised its F-gas (fluorinated greenhouse gas) regulations in 2024, tightening restrictions on the use of fluorinated greenhouse gases including SF6. Starting in 2032, the use of SF6 in high-voltage circuit breakers exceeding 145kV will be completely banned.
HD Hyundai Electric plans to expand its "SF6-free" high-voltage circuit breaker product portfolio. The company has completed development of 72.5kV, 145kV, and 170kV products, and plans to finish developing the entire "SF6-free" high-voltage circuit breaker lineup by 2028 before launching full-scale order expansion. In particular, the 420kV product, which has the greatest potential demand in the European market, is targeted for development completion in the first half of this year.
The "SF6-free" high-voltage circuit breaker requires advanced technology, as it must stably deliver insulation and breaking performance equivalent to existing SF6-based products. The different properties of the insulation medium require new design and analysis techniques, and the long-term reliability of the alternative insulation material must be verified. The product is considered highly challenging to develop, as it must also secure the same installation footprint and operational convenience as existing products.
"The SF6-free high-voltage circuit breaker is a high-value-added product with high technological barriers," an HD Hyundai Electric official said. "As discussions on long-term supply contracts with European customers are further under way, we expect additional orders and revenue growth going forward."
