Utop Construction, a regional mid-sized construction company that has entered the large-scale offshore wind power project in Shinan, announced on April 18 that it will hold the "Utop Shinan Offshore Wind Power Project Briefing" at the Gwangju Kimdaejung Convention Center on April 19.
The Shinan Offshore Wind Power Cluster is the largest offshore wind power project in Korea, with a total of 10 wind farms with a combined capacity of 3.2GW to be sequentially developed in the Shinan-gun area by 2033. As a key project for expanding renewable energy and achieving carbon neutrality, it has attracted concentrated efforts from the government and industry. In February, the "Special Act on the Promotion of Offshore Wind Power Deployment and Industry Development" was passed.
While large conglomerates and foreign energy companies have led the offshore wind power market, Utop Construction, a mid-sized construction company based in Gwangju, drew attention on December 30, 2024, when it became the only construction company from Gwangju and Jeonnam to receive a power generation business license from the Electric Power Committee of the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy.
The project Utop is pursuing is a large-scale development with a facility capacity of 323MW on a 61.26 square kilometer offshore site near Jaewon-ri, Imja-myeon, Shinan-gun, and a total project cost of approximately 2 trillion won. Construction is scheduled to begin at the end of 2029, with completion in 2031 and commercial operation targeted for 2032. The project is expected to produce about 880,000 MWh of electricity annually, supplying clean power for approximately 1 million people.
On April 19, Utop Construction will hold the "Utop Shinan Offshore Wind Power Project Briefing" in the multipurpose hall on the first floor of the Gwangju Kimdaejung Convention Center. The company plans to introduce comprehensive information on the project it is promoting, including an overview, the status of securing grid connection, agreements for co-prosperity with local residents, business profitability and scalability, and alignment with government policies.
A Utop Construction official stated, "Since 2022, we have undergone thorough preliminary preparations, including the installation of wind measurement equipment, economic feasibility analysis, and preliminary feasibility studies. We have also met the strengthened power generation business license standards that have been in effect since August 2023, ensuring the stability and reliability of the project."
Jung Byungrae, Chairman of Utop Group, said, "This power generation business license is an important achievement that externally recognizes Utop's technological capabilities and business operation skills. Utop will participate directly in both construction and operation to create a successful model in the offshore wind power sector."
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