三星SDI获得韩国AI配电网ESS首轮约420MWh电池供应份额

Samsung SDI secured the largest battery supply allocation in the first phase of South Korea's government-backed AI Distribution Grid Energy Storage System (ESS) Deployment Support Program.
The Ministry of Climate, Energy and Environment announced on July 10 the selection of virtual power plant (VPP) operators for the program's first bidding round. The selected operators will deploy 128 megawatts (MW) and 640 megawatt-hours (MWh) of ESS capacity across 32 distribution lines.
The nine selected operators are VPP Lab, LG Energy Solution, KEPCO KDN, SK Eternix, HD Hyundai Electric, Gridwiz, Korea East-West Power, Korea Midland Power and Hyundai Engineering & Construction. Among battery suppliers, Samsung SDI will supply batteries to six operators, the highest number, while LG Energy Solution will supply one operator and SK On two.
The government capped ESS capacity at 20MWh per distribution line, with each operator limited to a maximum of seven lines, or 140MWh. VPP Lab and LG Energy Solution each secured the maximum allocation of seven lines. SK Eternix, HD Hyundai Electric, Gridwiz, Hyundai Engineering & Construction and Korea East-West Power each won three lines, while KEPCO KDN secured two and Korea Midland Power one.
Based on battery capacity, Samsung SDI secured 21 distribution lines, equivalent to 420MWh, representing approximately 66% of the total awarded capacity. LG Energy Solution won 140MWh across seven lines, or about 22%, while SK On secured 80MWh across four lines, accounting for roughly 12%.
The AI Distribution Grid ESS program was introduced to increase the capacity of power grids to accommodate renewable energy. Regions including Jeolla and Jeju, where renewable energy generation is concentrated, have experienced growing congestion as substations and distribution networks approach capacity, preventing new solar projects from connecting to the grid and forcing existing facilities to curtail output.
Rather than expanding transmission infrastructure, the government plans to install ESS units on individual distribution lines. Electricity generated during peak daytime solar production will be stored and discharged during periods of higher demand or when additional grid capacity becomes available, increasing the utilization of existing distribution networks. Each distribution line is expected to accommodate an additional 5.7MW of solar generation currently waiting for grid connection.
The Ministry of Climate, Energy and Environment plans to deploy approximately 700MW of ESS capacity by 2030, enabling an additional 1GW of renewable energy to connect to the grid. The initiative is expected to improve renewable energy integration while avoiding the cost and local opposition associated with constructing new transmission lines.
Battery suppliers adopted strategies similar to those used in the Korea Power Exchange's centralized ESS procurement market. Samsung SDI supplied nickel-cobalt-aluminum (NCA) batteries, while LG Energy Solution and SK On offered lithium iron phosphate (LFP) batteries. Beginning with the second bidding round scheduled for August, the ministry plans to consider next-generation battery technologies, including non-lithium chemistries with longer duration, longer service life and enhanced fire safety.