Government to Expedite Early Power Supply for Southwestern Semiconductor Industrial Complex
Power Grid to Be Built by 2030
Plans to Expand ESS and Pumped-Storage Included in the 12th Basic Electricity Plan
The government and Korea Electric Power Corporation (KEPCO) have begun building the power grid to supply electricity early to the new semiconductor industrial complex in the southwestern region, which has been confirmed as the site of the Gwangju military airport, by 2030.
The Ministry of Climate, Energy and Environment announced on July 8 that Second Vice Minister Lee Ho-hyun reviewed plans for supplying power to the southwestern semiconductor industrial complex with KEPCO at the Government Complex Sejong, and discussed early construction of new supply lines and cooperation measures with related agencies.
This meeting was a follow-up measure to the government's July 6 decision to designate the Gwangju military airport site as the location for the southwestern semiconductor mega-cluster. The government plans to expedite the construction of new supply lines connecting KEPCO’s shared power grid with the industrial complex so that electricity can be supplied to the complex by 2030.
To this end, KEPCO has established the "Mega Project Power Grid On-Time Construction Task Force (TF)," headed by Executive Vice President for Power System Kim Jae-goon. The task force plans to focus its efforts on improving construction methods and equipment procurement procedures to establish a power supply system ahead of when companies need it.
The government believes that, since the southwestern region has abundant power sources such as renewable energy and nuclear power, it will not be necessary to construct separate ultra-high voltage transmission lines between regions for the semiconductor industrial complex. It has determined that a stable power supply can be achieved with the existing power grid and new supply lines alone.
Measures to address the output volatility resulting from the expansion of renewable energy were also reviewed. The government explained that because the national power grid is interconnected, regional power shortages or surpluses can be managed through existing inter-regional lines. In addition, plans to expand energy storage systems (ESS) and pumped-storage power generation to provide 24-hour stable electricity to semiconductor factories will be included in the 12th Basic Plan for Long-Term Electricity Supply and Demand.
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Vice Minister Lee stated, "The core competitiveness of advanced semiconductor plants lies in securing stable and rapid infrastructure," adding, "Based on the region’s abundant zero-carbon power infrastructure, we will take proactive steps to build a power infrastructure so that the semiconductor industrial complex can become a key hub for advanced industries and regional growth."
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