Gyeonggi Research Institute: "Solving Yongin Semiconductor Power Shortage with 'Energy Highway' Beneath Expressways"

Gyeonggi Research Institute Proposes Energy Highway
Transmission Construction Period Cut from 13 Years to 5-7 Years
Solution to Power Supply Issues for Yongin Semiconductor Cluster
Solar Panels to Be Installed on Idle Expressway Land in the

In response to the surging power demand expected from the world’s largest semiconductor cluster in Yongin and the operation of artificial intelligence (AI) data centers, there has been a proposal to establish an “Energy Highway.” This initiative would install a power transmission network beneath expressways in Gyeonggi Province.

Gyeonggi Province Energy Highway Plan. Provided by Gyeonggi Research Institute

The Gyeonggi Research Institute, in its research report titled “Power Shortage in the Semiconductor Era: Seeking Solutions on Expressways,” suggested utilizing approximately 840 kilometers of expressway land and idle spaces in the province for power transmission and solar power generation.

According to the report, Gyeonggi Province’s annual electricity consumption is projected to reach about 285,000 GWh by 2050, roughly double the current level. The demand for electricity is expected to rise even more steeply once the Yongin semiconductor cluster and AI data centers in southern Gyeonggi begin full-scale operation.

The core issue is that the expansion of transmission networks is slower than that of power generation facilities. Constructing new large-scale transmission towers and lines takes more than ten years just to select locations, due to residents’ opposition and land compensation issues. It is commonly known that the average construction period for existing transmission lines is around 13 years.

The Gyeonggi Research Institute analyzed that utilizing expressway land already secured by the state could reduce the need for compensation for private land and minimize resident conflicts, allowing for the rapid installation of underground transmission and distribution conduits. Applying this method could shorten the time required to build transmission lines by more than five to seven years compared to traditional approaches.

One proposed plan is to deliver about 3GW of solar power generated in reclaimed lands along the west coast, such as Shihwa, Hwaong, and Pyeongtaek Lake, to semiconductor industrial complexes in southern Gyeonggi Province via the West Coast Expressway and the Pyeongtaek-Siheung Expressway. This would help close the electricity supply gap between the scheduled completion of semiconductor plants in Yongin, which will begin operation in stages from 2029, and the actual construction of transmission networks.

The concept also includes utilizing the expressways themselves as solar power plants. By installing solar facilities on idle spaces such as slopes, embankments, and sound barriers along expressways in the province, a total generation capacity of 588MW could be secured. The expected annual generation is 773GWh—an amount sufficient to power a mid-sized city for a year.

Energy storage systems (ESS) with a capacity of 4MW would be installed at expressway service areas and interchanges. The solar energy generated during the day would be stored and supplied during peak demand periods. The institute projects that by introducing ESS, the scale of solar power that existing distribution lines can accommodate could be increased from 14MW to 18MW.

This initiative is notably designed as a “mutual-benefit model” that shares power generation profits with local residents. Residents and Gyeonggi Province citizens would invest at least 4% of the total project cost and receive regular dividends from the profits. Resident participation-type solar projects are exempt from distance regulations, making site acquisition easier, and as residents participate as investors, acceptance of power generation facilities would also improve.

The Gyeonggi Research Institute also proposed establishing a tripartite cooperative framework involving Gyeonggi Province, Korea Expressway Corporation, and Korea Electric Power Corporation. Gyeonggi Province would oversee the overall project and seek its inclusion in the national power grid plan, while Korea Expressway Corporation would provide the land and conduits. Korea Electric Power Corporation (KEPCO) would resolve transmission bottlenecks and acquire and operate the completed power grid.

As the first phase, the institute recommended piloting a “Seohwaseong Collector Feeder Network” connecting solar facilities in the coastal reclaimed areas, and subsequently expanding the project to the Gyeongbu and Yeongdong Expressways and nationwide expressways across southern Gyeonggi.

Kim Jeomsan, Senior Research Fellow at the Gyeonggi Research Institute, emphasized, “The success of the semiconductor and AI industries depends on whether we can supply the necessary electricity in a timely and environmentally friendly manner. An energy network utilizing expressways offers a practical and innovative solution to overcome challenges such as resident conflicts and land compensation.”

He added, “A dedicated implementation body involving Gyeonggi Province, Korea Expressway Corporation, and KEPCO should be established as soon as possible. With the Seohwaseong pilot project as a starting point, nationwide roads can be reborn as ‘arteries of eco-friendly energy,’ so national-level support and early commencement are essential.”

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