DL E&C Breaks Ground on 500MW Yeongdong Pumped Storage Power Plant, Completion Targeted for 2030

Groundbreaking Ceremony for Yeongdong Pumped Storage Power Plant Held on April 17
Construction Begins on Korea's Most Challenging Project, Including a Vertical Tunnel Equivalent to a 143-Story Apartment
Anticipated as a Hydropower-Based ESS... Government Plans Pumped Storage Projects at Nine Sites Nationwide

DL E&C announced on April 21 that it held a groundbreaking ceremony on April 17 in Yeongdong County, North Chungcheong Province, for the construction of the 500MW Yeongdong Pumped Storage Power Plant and has officially begun the project. The 500MW capacity is enough to supply electricity to approximately 110,000 households.

A bird's-eye view of Yeongdong Pumped Storage Power Plant. Water from the upper dam (right) is dropped to the lower dam to generate electricity. Provided by DL E&C.

The Yeongdong Pumped Storage Power Plant will be built on a 1.18 million square meter site spanning Sangchon-myeon and Yanggang-myeon in Yeongdong County. This is a new pumped storage project initiated by Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power last year, marking the first such project in 13 years. The total project cost is approximately 503.4 billion won, with completion targeted for 2030. Notably, the construction requires advanced engineering, including a vertical tunnel as high as a 143-story apartment building (430 meters). Due to the nature of pumped storage, which requires connecting the upper and lower dams, advanced ground stability and watertightness technologies are critical.

Pumped storage power plants operate by pumping water from the lower dam to the upper dam when electricity supply exceeds demand, and generating electricity by releasing the water during peak demand periods. They are referred to as "electricity storage facilities" in the era of renewable energy. In addition, they are expected to serve as "hydropower-based energy storage systems (ESS)" that can compensate for the intermittency of solar and wind power. Through the 10th Basic Plan for Electricity Supply and Demand, the government is pursuing the construction of new pumped storage power plants with a total capacity of 1.75GW. In addition to Yeongdong, a total of nine sites, including Hongcheon in Gangwon Province and Gurye in South Jeolla Province, are scheduled for construction.

DL E&C is recognized as a "leader in hydropower construction" in the domestic construction industry. DL E&C was also responsible for the construction of the last pumped storage power plant in Korea, the Yecheon Pumped Storage Power Plant, completed in 2011. The company also boasts the highest number of overseas hydropower and dam construction projects among domestic firms, including the Karun Dam in Iran and the Gulpur Hydropower Plant in Pakistan. A DL E&C representative stated, "DL E&C is the company that completed the last pumped storage power plant in Korea and is now restarting such construction after 13 years. We aim to successfully complete this project and contribute to strengthening energy security and revitalizing the local economy."