Automatically switches to a private 5G wireless network in case of wired network failure.
Demonstration at Yangyang Pumping Station... Plans to expand application to nuclear power plants
5G enables stable electricity production and supply.


SK Telecom and Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power (KHNP) announced on the 13th that they will introduce a "private 5G-based emergency communications solution" to respond within seconds in the event of a wired communications system failure at domestic power plants. This solution automatically switches to private 5G-based wireless communications in the event of a failure in the wired communications equipment connecting the field and the power plant control room, resolving the failure within seconds and preventing any disruption to power plant operations.

Currently, when a wired communication outage occurs, an administrator must travel to the site to perform repairs and restoration, which can take anywhere from a few hours to several days to restore normal operation. To verify the effectiveness of a private 5G-based emergency communications solution, SK Telecom and Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power (KHNP) recently announced that they successfully conducted a field demonstration at the Yangyang Pumped Storage Power Plant, wirelessly connecting the upper dam and the lower control room.

Key officials from both companies, including SKT IoT CO Director Shin Yong-sik and Hanwha Solutions Digital Innovation Promotion Team Director Jeon Hye-soo, who attended the demonstration that day, expressed their expectation that the introduction of this solution would not only contribute to the stable operation of domestic power plant ICT systems, but also help citizens enjoy stable electricity. Additionally, the two companies plan to commercialize private 5G-based emergency communications solutions and apply them to domestic hydroelectric power plants and nuclear power plants.

Since signing a memorandum of understanding (MOU) in 2019 to build smart plants, SK Telecom and Hanwha Solutions have been pursuing various projects that leverage the combined capabilities of both companies.

In particular, since the commercialization of SKT Private-5G last year, we have been developing mobile-based tasks that can be performed, such as a real-time mobile situation sharing system at power plant sites and an integrated hydraulic terrain management system using industrial drones, by utilizing a highly secure wireless network. At the same time, we are also working to expand the wireless network to increase usability in the field.