HD Hyundai to Launch a “Power Plant at Sea,” Targeting the AI Power Market

[Financial News] HD Hyundai has secured technology for a 100-MW-class floating power-generation facility that produces electricity offshore using an engine developed in-house. As global power demand surges amid the expansion of data centers driven by artificial intelligence (AI), the company plans to broaden its business into the power-infrastructure market by leveraging its shipbuilding and engine technologies.
HDKSOE, HD Hyundai’s intermediate holding company for its shipbuilding business, announced on the 15th that it had obtained Approval in Principle (AiP) from the American Bureau of Shipping (ABS) for a 100-MW-class floating power-generation facility. The certification gives HDKSOE core capabilities, including the basic conceptual design of the facility, electrical single-line diagrams, and stability assessments.
A floating power-generation facility is essentially a “power plant at sea” that carries power-generation engines on a vessel, produces electricity offshore, and supplies it to land. It can be used for data centers and industrial complexes where building land-based power infrastructure is difficult or where large amounts of electricity are needed within a short period.
The facility developed by HDKSOE uses the independently developed medium-sized HiMSEN engine from HD Hyundai Heavy Industries. It is designed to provide up to 100 MW of electricity reliably. HDKSOE plans to enter the floating power-generation facility market in earnest after completing detailed design work and subsequent certification procedures.
The floating power-generation facility market is considered to have significant potential as power demand rises rapidly with the growth of the AI industry and the expansion of data centers. Data centers need a stable supply of large amounts of electricity, but securing sites and complying with environmental regulations can make it difficult to build land-based power plants quickly. Floating power-generation facilities are drawing attention as an alternative power-supply infrastructure because they reduce the need for land-based sites while allowing power plants to be positioned near demand centers.
An HDKSOE official said, “The ability to produce and supply electricity stably and flexibly can be considered a key competitive advantage in the AI era.” The official added, “We will further advance our floating power-generation facility technology and lead the global power-infrastructure market.”

[email protected] Jung Won-il Reporter