400MW Solar Power Plant Breaks Ground in Haenam... To Supply SK hynix

KRW 680.7 Billion Invested in 4.79 Million m² Saline Reclaimed Land
Completion Set for 2028, with 20 Years of Commercial Operation Planned

On August 7, Jeonnam Gwangju Integrated Special City held a groundbreaking ceremony for the Haenam Regeneration Complex Solar Power Plant at the Hyeoldo Reclaimed Land in Haenam and officially embarked on the construction of the country’s largest 400MW power complex.

More than 250 people attended the ceremony, including Kim Sung-hwan, Minister of Climate, Energy and Environment; Hwang Gi-yeon, Deputy Mayor of Jeonnam Gwangju Integrated Special City; National Assembly member Park Ji-won; representatives of the local residents; the acting president of Korea South-East Power; as well as officials from related organizations and companies.

Hwang Giyeon, Executive Vice Mayor of Jeonnam Gwangju Metropolitan City, is participating in a cutting and groundbreaking ceremony with key domestic and foreign guests, including Kim Seonghwan, Minister of the Ministry of Climate, Energy and Environment, at the "Haenam Regeneration Complex Solar Power Plant Groundbreaking Ceremony" held on the 7th in Okdong-ri, Hwangsan-myeon, Haenam-gun. Provided by Jeonnam Gwangju Metropolitan City

The main objective of this project is to construct a 400MW power complex—Korea’s largest—using a total project cost of 680.7 billion won on a 4.79 million square meter reclaimed site in Munnamyeon and Hwangsanmyeon, Haenam. This includes a 10MW agrivoltaic solar plant, also the largest of its kind in the country.

The project is scheduled to be completed in 2028 and will enter commercial operation for the next 20 years.

The Haenam Regeneration Complex Solar Power Plant Project was stagnant for a considerable period after obtaining a power generation business license in 2019. Although the site is a low-productivity reclamation area affected by salinity, it was classified as an agricultural promotion area, making large-scale solar installation difficult.

Jeonnam Gwangju Integrated Special City, together with Haenam County and Korea South-East Power, continuously petitioned for the deregulation of the agricultural promotion area and for the necessity of solar power generation. As a result, the project was included as an agenda item in the "Key Regulatory Rationalization Strategy Meeting" presided over by the President in October last year, and in November, the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs approved the deregulation and the conversion of the land, allowing for groundbreaking to begin this year.

The electricity produced here will be supplied to SK hynix via a direct power purchase agreement (PPA), making this a case that is expected to support domestic companies’ achievement of RE100 (100% renewable energy use) and strengthen global export competitiveness.

Deputy Mayor Hwang Gi-yeon stated, "This project is an example of a large-scale renewable energy generation complex promoted by local government taking the lead in breaking down regulatory barriers," adding, "The Integrated Special City will actively support the settlement of semiconductor mega-clusters and data centers in the region based on abundant renewable energy sources such as solar power."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.