Taean County Governor Ga Se-ro Urges Government to Take Action on Phasing Out Coal Power Plants

On the 10th, attended 'Coal Power Transition Council' meeting... Emphasized need for measures to minimize damage
Governor Ga: "Without alternative industries, the region faces extinction... Countermeasures needed"

The first meeting of the 'Coal Power Transition Council' held on the 10th at Seoktan Hall, Jongno-gu, Seoul. /Taeangun

Ga Se-ro, the governor of Taean County in Chungnam, urged the government to actively implement measures such as the construction of alternative power plants and support for the creation of offshore wind power complexes in order to minimize regional damage caused by the decommissioning of thermal power plants.

On the 10th, Governor Ga attended the first meeting of the "Coal Power Transition Council" held in the main conference room of the Coal Association Building in Jongno-gu, Seoul, where the 2nd Vice Minister of Trade, Industry and Energy, officials from related ministries, and executives and staff from power generation companies were present. He expressed his position that measures must be put in place to minimize the damage to the residents of Taean County.

According to the county, Taean Thermal Power Plant Units 1 to 6 will be phased out from next year until 2032, and except for Unit 4, which has not yet been confirmed, all alternative LNG power plants will be relocated to areas other than Taean.

In this case, it is expected that the county will suffer economic losses of approximately 11.09 trillion won, a decrease in tax revenue, and an outflow of about 3,000 residents, making it inevitable that the region as a whole will be hit hard.

On this day, Governor Ga proposed to the government: △ construction of alternative power plants for thermal power generation, △ support for the creation of the Taean offshore wind power complex, △ reflecting the opinions of Taean residents in electricity supply and demand plans, and △ enactment of a special law to support areas affected by the closure of coal-fired power plants.

Governor Ga's position is that Taean Thermal Power Plant Units 7 to 10 should be converted to carbon-free power plants and remain at their current location, and that a new 1GW hydrogen power plant should be built on the site where the coal power plant is being decommissioned.

In addition, he emphasizes the need to include the construction of the National Road No. 38 (Iwon-Daesan) marine bridge in the 6th National Road and Local Road Construction Plan to expand infrastructure along with the creation of alternative industrial complexes, as well as the necessity for legal grounds for the government to support coal power plant closure areas, such as designating them as Special Industrial Crisis Response Areas and "Just Transition Zones."

Governor Ga Se-ro said, "I will continue to do my utmost to actively publicize Taean's current situation and draw attention and support," and added, "I ask for the government's active interest and support so that we can revitalize the local economy through the fostering of new industries and the expansion of infrastructure."