The Nation's First Coal Power Plant Transforms into an 'Eco-Friendly, Resident-Friendly' Facility

Seoul Combined Power Plant Completion Ceremony Held

[Sejong=Asia Economy Reporter Kwon Haeyoung] Danginri Thermal Power Plant, the first coal-fired power plant in Korea, has been transformed into the Seoul Combined Power Plant, an 'eco-friendly, resident-friendly power plant' that has undergrounded large-scale power generation facilities for the first time in the world and created a park in the aboveground space.

According to the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy on the 23rd, a completion ceremony for the Jungbu Power Seoul Combined Power Headquarters was held at Mapo Saebit Cultural Forest in Seoul. Attendees included Lee Wonju, Director of Power Innovation Policy at the Ministry of Industry, Kim Hobin, President of Jungbu Power, Jeong Cheongrae, Member of the National Assembly, Yoo Donggyun, Mayor of Mapo District, Jo Yeongdeok, Chairman of the District Council, and local residents.

Jungbu Power began performance improvement and undergrounding construction of the power plant in 2013 and resumed power generation from November 2019. It has undergone continuous transformation from Korea's first coal-fired power plant to heavy oil power generation and finally to a liquefied natural gas (LNG) combined power plant equipped with the latest environmental facilities. Since April this year, the aboveground park of the power plant has been opened to citizens. Similar to the Tate Modern in the UK, which converted a power plant into an art museum, the existing decommissioned facilities are planned to be used as a complex cultural and artistic space.

Pollutant emissions from the power plant have also decreased. The fuel source of the Seoul Combined Power Plant is LNG, which unlike coal-fired power plants, does not emit sulfur oxides or dust. Nitrogen oxides are emitted and operated at about one-fifth or less (4~4.5 ppm) of the permissible standard of 20 ppm under the Atmospheric Environment Conservation Act.

Lee Wonju, Director at the Ministry of Industry, said, "As the government promotes energy transition policies, coal power generation, which contributed to Korea's economic growth and industrialization, is retiring after fulfilling its role and being replaced by LNG combined power plants. The Seoul Combined Power Plant is a model case of LNG power plant construction that shows the possibility that a power plant can coexist with local residents and serve as a cultural and artistic space beyond simply supplying electricity." He added, "In the future, we will promote the replacement of aging coal plants with LNG combined plants and the construction process in a way that increases local residents' acceptance and contributes to the local community."