Ukraine state-owned electricity provider Khmelnytskoblenergo is collaborating with South Korean telco KT on smart grid implementation.

A task force recently formed by the two companies has held discussions, workshops, webinars and round tables this month as the first step in realising the memorandum of understanding signed by KT and Khmelnytskoblenergo in September.

According to the MoU, the two companies intend to collaborate in developing an advanced metering infrastructure project in Ukraine. To do that, they formed a joint task force, consisting of qualified staff of both parties. Specialists from the two companies are in close contact via multiple channels and the first intensive workshop took place this month.

“We are in close weekly contact with the Korean side for about a half a year or so and we are grateful for their input,” said Oleg Kozachuk, acting CEO of Khmelnytskoblenergo. “Being the first electricity distribution system operator in Ukraine, getting to know the technologies KT use is very insightful, to say the least.”

Sangki Lee, vice president of KT’s global business unit, said KT had been exploring various ways to enhance energy efficiency within the Ukrainian energy industry through cooperation with Khmelnytskoblenergo. In particular, KT plans to contribute actively to the improvement of energy efficiency in Ukraine by applying energy management technology that uses AI and big data.

Despite the Covid-19 pandemic, the two companies have made progress through weekly video meetings, and KT plans to formulate the detailed business direction through due diligence and related feasibility studies in the near future.

Khmelnytskoblenergo is a majority state-owned electricity distribution service operator in the Khmelnyts’k region in Ukraine. The state owns 70% of the company’s shares, the other 30% belonging to private legal entities and individuals. The company’s net profit in 2019 was UAH85.7m.

KT, Korea’s largest telecommunications service provider, uses 5G, big data, cloud, IoT, blockchain and other transformative technologies. It launched the world’s first nationwide commercial 5G network in April 2019, after showcasing the first trial 5G services at the PyeongChang Winter Olympic Games in February 2018.