LS GreenLink Breaks Ground on World's Tallest VCV Tower in Virginia
LS GreenLink, the US subsidiary of South Korean cable maker LS Cable & System — a core unit of LS Corp (006260.KS) — broke ground on a vertical continuous vulcanization (VCV) tower in Chesapeake, Virginia on June 25, positioning itself to capture surging demand for high-voltage submarine cables driven by artificial intelligence data center expansion and US grid modernization.
The facility will house a 201-meter VCV tower, set to become the world's tallest such structure and Virginia's tallest building upon completion. A VCV tower applies insulation to high-voltage cables through a vertical process that minimizes gravitational distortion, enhancing both quality and manufacturing efficiency. LS GreenLink's plant is scheduled to be completed in the second half of 2027, with commercial production beginning in the first half of 2028.
Virginia Governor Abigail Spanberger and Senator Tim Kaine (D-Virginia) attended the groundbreaking ceremony, underscoring the project's strategic importance for regional job creation and domestic energy infrastructure.
"LS GreenLink is a strategic hub for serving both the US and European markets," — LS Cable President Koo Bon-kyu
Market Context: AI Data Centers Driving US Grid Build-Out
The investment taps into accelerating demand for high-voltage power transmission infrastructure along the US eastern seaboard. AI data centers, which consume five to ten times more power than conventional server farms, are straining existing grid capacity and compelling utilities to upgrade transmission networks.
US government spending under the CHIPS Act and Inflation Reduction Act has further widened the addressable market for domestic submarine and high-voltage cable production. By manufacturing locally, LS GreenLink aims to meet supply chain localization requirements increasingly mandated by US infrastructure contracts.
LS Cable operates an integrated three-entity US strategy:
| Entity | Segment |
|---|---|
| LS GreenLink | Ultrahigh-voltage submarine cable manufacturing |
| LS Marine Solution | Submarine cable installation and marine services |
| Gaon Cable (KOSPI listed) | Power infrastructure for AI data centers |
The Chesapeake plant, once operational, would make LS GreenLink one of the only companies manufacturing submarine cables domestically in the United States at scale — a competitive advantage in an era of tightening supply chains.
LS Corp (006260.KS) — the Korean holding company that owns LS Cable & System — currently trades at KRW 359,500, carrying a market capitalization of approximately KRW 9.97 trillion (USD 7.2 billion). Its listed affiliate LS Electric (010120.KS) supplies substation equipment and smart grid technology, giving the broader LS Group an integrated electrical infrastructure portfolio exposed to the same US power demand tailwind.
Sources: Korea Herald, LS Cable & System press release, June 25, 2026.
