[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Bo-kyung] Although the government has set a goal to achieve carbon neutrality by reducing the share of coal power generation to 0% by 2050, coal power generation still accounts for the highest proportion of domestic electricity production.
According to the Electricity Statistics Bulletin on the 29th, the electricity produced from January to September this year recorded 412,397 GWh, a 2.5% decrease compared to the same period last year due to the impact of the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19).
Among this, the amount of electricity generated by coal power was 151,959 GWh, a 10.5% decrease compared to 169,738 GWh in the same period last year. Despite the large decrease, it accounted for the highest share at 36.8% of the total electricity production in South Korea.
Nuclear power produced 117,607 GWh, an increase of 3.1%, accounting for 28.5% of the total electricity production. Liquefied natural gas (LNG) power generation increased by 0.2% to 105,049 GWh, making up 25.5% of the share.
Renewable energy generation, despite the government's expansion policies, produced 28,123 GWh, a 2.5% decrease compared to last year. It accounted for 6.8% of the total electricity production, showing little difference from last year's 6.5%.
Since additional coal power plants are scheduled to enter the electricity market by 2023, it seems difficult to reduce the dependence on coal power generation in the near future.
According to the Korea Power Exchange's "2020 3rd Quarter Power Plant Construction Project Status," coal-fired power plants currently under construction, including Shin Seocheon Thermal Power (1 GW), Goseong High Thermal Power (2 GW), Gangneung Anin Thermal Power (2 GW), and Samcheok Thermal Power (2 GW), total 7 GW in capacity, and commercial operation is expected to begin sequentially starting with Shin Seocheon Thermal Power from next year.
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