HD Hyundai wins ABS approval for 100 MW barge-mounted power plant
HD Hyundai's shipbuilding unit received approval in principle from the American Bureau of Shipping for a 100-megawatt barge-mounted power plant, opening a path to the floating power plant market.
HD Korea Shipbuilding & Offshore Engineering (HD KSOE), the intermediate holding company for HD Hyundai's shipbuilding businesses, received the AIP. HD KSOE said the approval covers key technologies and designs, including the basic concept, the electrical single-line diagram and a stability assessment.
Floating power plants generate electricity at sea using power-generation engines and transmit it onshore. They can serve areas where land-based power infrastructure is difficult to build or where large-scale electricity demand is growing, such as data centers and industrial complexes.
Such "power plants at sea" are drawing growing attention as the artificial intelligence boom and rapid expansion of data centers drive up electricity demand. They can also serve as an alternative to land-based power plants, which face constraints such as limited sites and environmental regulations.
HD KSOE said it plans to enter the floating power plant market after completing detailed design work and securing additional certifications. The Yonhap report did not provide financial terms, customer names or a timetable for the company's market entry.