hankyoreh

One resident stands in front of the Samcheonpo 1 and 2 coal-fired power plants (far left) in Goseong

Eight decrepit coal-fired power plants are going offline for one month at midnight on June 1.

President Moon Jae-in also made plans to hasten the permanent shutdown of decrepit coal-fired power plants to ensure it is completed within his term, which ends in 2022.

The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy (MOTIE) reported on May 30 that it had “decided based on discussions with the power companies to shut down eight plants that are more than 30 years old for the month of June in order to reduce fine particle dust.” The plants it said it was shutting down included Samcheonpo 1 and 2, Boryeong 1 and 2, Yeongdong 1 and 2, and Seocheon 1 and 2.

On the decision to omit the Honam 1 and 2 plants, which are also considered decrepit, MOTIE explained that they were “omitted from the shutdown in order to provide a stable power supply within the region.”

Eight decrepit coal-fired power plants

The plants that are going offline are to remain on 24-hour standby with 16 or more essential staff in case of power supply emergencies.

MOTIE said it was considering idling decrepit coal-fired plants every spring as of next week, depending on how the first experience goes. It also explained that it had finished amending the “power market operation guidelines” that serve as a basis for such shutdowns.

“Shutting down operation during the spring, when power demand is relatively low, is an effort to contribute to reducing fine dust,” it said.

To examine whether idling the plants is actually effective in reducing fine dust, the Ministry also plans to conduct joint measurement and analysis of the dust with the Ministry of Environment and National Institute of Environmental Research. Specifically, it plans to examine changes in fine dust concentrations before and after the shutdown in the areas around the idled plants and the greater Seoul area.

The early retirement of ten decrepit coal-fired power plants also appears likely, with a target permanent shutdown date within Moon‘s term.

“We plan to initiate permanent shutdown procedures in July after a three-month temporary shutdown for three plants where the operators have been preparing for the plants’ early retirement, namely Seocheon 1 and 2 and Yeongdong 1,” MOTIE explained.

The Ministry added that it would “push for shortening of the shutdown schedule for the other seven plants based on considerations of factors such as power supplies, effects on the regional economy, and the operators’ intentions.”

By Kim Sung-hwan, staff reporter

Please direct questions or comments to [english@hani.co.kr]