Satellite backup for Korea’s grid, KEPCO’s Starlink-based pilot quietly scales up

Edited by ad hoc news New Releases & Launches Desk. Reviewed before publication on 06/15/2026 at 8:49 PM ET. Details in the imprint.

Korea Electric Power Corp. (KEPCO) is pushing ahead with a new emergency communications setup built around low-Earth orbit satellites, after quietly completing the first phase of a pilot with Starlink Korea and SK Telink at its headquarters and two regional offices. The project, which uses Starlink connectivity combined with SK Telink’s internet telephony services to keep grid control centers online when terrestrial networks fail, is now expanding into mountainous regions in North Gyeongsang and Gangwon for the second test phase. According to the partners, the long-term goal is a nationwide network of fixed, mobile and vehicle-mounted satellite terminals covering all 15 KEPCO regional headquarters, giving the utility a new layer of resilience against typhoons, floods and cyber incidents that can knock out conventional lines. A recent report by The Korea Times details the three-way agreement and phased deployment plan.

How KEPCO’s Starlink-powered emergency network is structured

The core of KEPCO’s satellite initiative is a dedicated emergency communications product for internal use: a bundled package of Starlink dishes and terminals, SK Telink-managed network services and KEPCO’s own operational procedures, engineered specifically for power grid control and field operations. In the initial stage, Starlink Korea supplies access to its global satellite constellation and service specifications, while SK Telink integrates the LEO connectivity into fixed IP services and internet telephony, handles terminal supply and maintenance, and adds security controls tailored to critical infrastructure. KEPCO defines the operational requirements for outage scenarios, from maintaining SCADA links and voice connections between control rooms and substations to supporting mobile command vehicles that can be dispatched into hard-to-reach areas during large-scale blackouts. KEPCO’s own corporate materials describe the utility’s nationwide grid footprint and its need for robust communications across 15 regional headquarters and extensive transmission and distribution assets.

After linking its Naju headquarters with two regional centers under a two-year service agreement, KEPCO has moved into a more demanding second pilot phase in the rugged North Gyeongsang and Gangwon regions, where vehicle-mounted and portable satellite terminals are now being tested. These mobile units are designed to provide connectivity on the move for repair crews and emergency coordinators, with antennas mounted on vehicles or packed into portable kits that can be set up in temporary field bases. The final stage of the project, if the pilots meet performance and reliability targets, is planned as a full rollout of fixed satellite terminals at all 15 regional headquarters, complemented by a fleet of mobile and vehicle-based systems that allow KEPCO to maintain voice and data communications even if fiber lines, cellular networks and microwave links are disrupted by natural disasters. This approach mirrors a growing trend among grid operators worldwide to add LEO satellites as a backstop to traditional telecom infrastructure, giving control centers an independent path to coordinate restoration and manage distributed energy resources during high-impact events. Industry observers on social media have highlighted the KEPCO-Starlink-SK Telink partnership as an example of how utilities are experimenting with LEO connectivity for grid resilience.

For KEPCO, which is under pressure to modernize its distribution networks and improve outage response as climate risks intensify, the satellite-based emergency network slots alongside other smart grid and advanced metering investments that the company is pursuing with international partners. Recent memorandums of understanding with testing and certification bodies focus on next-generation advanced metering infrastructure and automation of distribution systems, and the Starlink pilot provides a communications backbone that could support these digital upgrades under stress conditions. In strategic terms, the LEO-based product gives KEPCO a way to harden its operational technology environment without having to build and maintain an entirely separate terrestrial network, while also gaining experience with satellite bandwidth management, cybersecurity and integration into existing control systems.

Within KEPCO’s broader portfolio, the satellite communications project is best seen as a critical but narrowly targeted resilience tool rather than a mass-market offering, positioning the utility to keep command-and-control functions running during rare but high-consequence disruptions. The initiative could also serve as a reference model for other utilities in Asia looking to combine commercial LEO services with local telecom operators for grid applications, particularly in countries with challenging geography or limited rural coverage. Shares of Korea Electric Power Corp. (ISIN KR7015760002) closed on the Korea Exchange at KRW 18,950 on 06/13/2026, reflecting ongoing investor attention to the company’s efforts to stabilize its balance sheet while investing in grid reliability and modernization.

This article was a.i.-assisted and editorially reviewed. Product information without warranty; prices and availability may change at short notice. Not investment advice and not a buy or sell recommendation. Trading involves risk up to and including the total loss of invested capital.