[Edaily Reporter Choi Oh-hyun ] LGELECTRONICS is partnering with the Korea Water Resources Corporation (K-water) to transform the world’s largest tidal power plant into an artificial intelligence (AI)-based facility. The company’s smart factory solutions business has expanded from manufacturing and logistics to the energy and public infrastructure sectors.

On the 22nd, LGELECTRONICS signed a “Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on Technical Cooperation for the Development of the Sihwa Lake AI Tidal Power Plant” with the Korea Water Resources Corporation at the Sihwa Tidal Power Culture Center in Ansan, Gyeonggi Province. The signing ceremony was attended by Oh Bong-geun, Head of the Renewable Energy Division at the Korea Water Resources Corporation, and Lee Seung-ki, Head of the Smart Factory Solutions Center at LGELECTRONICS, among others.

The two companies will jointly explore ways to enhance the operational efficiency and safety of the Sihwa Tidal Power Plant by utilizing cutting-edge technologies such as AI, digital twins, and robotics. They will also collaborate on renewable energy-related research and development (R&D) and policy initiatives, as well as pursue cooperation to enter overseas markets.

The core focus is on integrating AI into all aspects of power plant operations. LGELECTRONICS plans to apply “digital twin” technology, which creates an exact replica of the physical power plant in a virtual space. This approach links real-time data collected from power generation equipment and closed-circuit television (CCTV) systems to the virtual power plant, allowing operators to assess equipment status at a glance and predict power generation output. It also enables the simulation of various operational scenarios in advance to identify optimal operating strategies.

LG Corp. is also considering the introduction of Agent AI utilizing “EXAONE,” an AI model developed by LG AI Research. The AI comprehensively analyzes factors such as weather, sea level changes, and equipment status to identify causes of power generation losses and detect potential failures in advance. Plans are also underway to optimize equipment inspection schedules and automate repetitive tasks, such as generating operational reports.

Physical AI technology will be applied at power plant sites. Patrol robots and AI-powered CCTV will be used to monitor hazardous areas and check for equipment malfunctions. The company plans to automate tasks such as spare parts management and material transport using industrial robots.

This collaboration is significant in that it marks LGELECTRONICS’ expansion of its smart factory business scope from manufacturing and logistics to energy infrastructure. LGELECTRONICS’ smart factory solutions business surpassed 1 trillion won in cumulative orders in the first half of this year, just two years after its launch. While the business initially focused on manufacturing clients in sectors such as electronics, automotive electronics, and batteries, it has recently diversified into the logistics sector and is now expanding into the public sector.

In particular, the Sihwa Tidal Power Plant is the world’s largest in terms of power generation capacity. Through this collaboration, LGELECTRONICS aims to validate the potential of smart factory technology in the energy infrastructure sector and leverage these findings to secure future power plant projects both domestically and internationally.

Lee Seung-ki, Head of the Smart Factory Solutions Center at LGELECTRONICS, said, “It is highly significant that we are applying the smart factory capabilities we have accumulated in manufacturing to the public infrastructure sector,” adding, “Together with the Korea Water Resources Corporation, we will support the digital transformation of the Sihwa Lake Tidal Power Plant and enhance the plant’s operational efficiency and safety.”