[Edaily Reporter Yun Junghoon ]LG Uplus(032640)is partnering with Korea District Heating to establish a predictive maintenance system for district energy facilities based on AIoT technology, which combines artificial intelligence (AI) and the Internet of Things (IoT).

LG Uplus announced on the 31st that it had signed a “Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) for the Advancement of Safety Management in the District Energy Sector Based on AIoT” with the Korea District Heating Corporation at its Yongsan headquarters in Seoul. Key officials from both companies, including Kwon Yong-hyun, Head of the Enterprise Division at LG Uplus (Executive Vice President), and Jeong Nam-sung, Head of the Construction Division at the Korea District Heating Corporation, attended the signing ceremony.

The two companies plan to utilize AIoT technology to detect risk factors in underground heat transmission pipes and heat source facilities in real time and establish a proactive response system to prevent major safety accidents.

District energy refers to an energy system that supplies heat and electricity generated at large-scale energy production facilities to apartment complexes, office buildings, and commercial facilities. District heating—which supplies heat (hot water) generated during electricity production at combined heat and power (CHP) plants to urban areas via heat transmission pipelines—is a prime example. It is considered an essential urban infrastructure facility due to its high energy efficiency and significant greenhouse gas reduction effects.

However, since key components of district energy facilities—such as heat sources and heat distribution pipes—operate in high-temperature environments exceeding 100 degrees Celsius, and since the heat distribution pipes are buried underground, incidents such as ground subsidence or pipe corrosion could lead to major safety accidents. Therefore, thorough monitoring and the establishment of a proactive response system are crucial.

Accordingly, LGU+ and the Korea District Heating Corporation are embarking on the development of an AIoT-based predictive maintenance system that utilizes AIoT technology to detect on-site risk factors in real time and predict and respond to potential safety incidents in advance. The two companies plan to combine LGU+’s experience in operating AI-based monitoring platforms and its IoT communication capabilities with the Korea District Heating Corporation’s expertise in operating the nation’s largest collective energy facilities to build a system that predicts and responds to potential safety incidents proactively.

Specifically, the two companies will demonstrate technologies such as △ early detection of ground subsidence (sinkholes), △ detection of stray currents in heat transmission pipes, and △ enhanced physical security and monitoring of high-risk facilities such as water and power distribution rooms.

First, to enable early detection of ground subsidence, the two companies will conduct a demonstration using the tilt-sensing technology of a jointly developed underground geothermal remote sensing terminal. Since subtle ground subsidence at heat transmission pipeline burial sites is difficult to detect with the naked eye, this method involves using sensors to monitor changes in tilt and vibration intensity in real time, followed by a precise AI analysis of the extent of ground changes to identify the risk of subsidence in advance.

Additionally, to detect stray currents—which cause corrosion in heat transmission pipes—the two companies plan to demonstrate a solution that analyzes current density and frequency in each pipe to monitor electrical signals in real time and identify potential corrosion hotspots early on. In the future, they are considering ways to automate the process of diverting stray currents to safe locations.

AI-based physical security technology will be applied to water and power distribution rooms, where the risk of electric shock and entrapment accidents is high. Through a unified control platform, 24-hour monitoring will be conducted to manage work histories and strengthen access control for critical equipment—such as doors, enclosures, and server racks—thereby enhancing worker safety and facility security.

LG U+ and the Korea District Heating Corporation previously collaborated to jointly develop Korea’s first “IoT temperature sensor (remote underground geothermal sensor)” in 2020, and have continued their partnership, including the completion last year of a field demonstration of a miniaturized IoT monitoring device designed for underground installation. Building on this agreement, the two companies plan to elevate safety management standards across the district energy industry by integrating AI-based risk prediction technology into existing safety management systems.

Kwon Yong-hyun, Head of the Enterprise Division (Executive Vice President) at LG Uplus, stated, “We aim to contribute to strengthening the safety of energy infrastructure by closely examining safety blind spots that occur at district heating facilities and continuously advancing our AIoT solutions.” He added, “Going forward, we will introduce customized solutions that combine AI and IoT technologies to address pain points at various infrastructure sites.”

Jeong Nam-sung, Head of the Construction Division at the Korea District Heating Corporation, remarked, “This agreement is significant in that it expands the application of AIoT technology beyond heat transmission pipelines to include heat source facilities as well.” He added, “We will continue to strengthen our cooperation with LG Uplus to complete an intelligent preventive system for district heating facilities.”