Current Status of Decommissioning Outdated Coal Power Plants
Review of Industrial Safety Conditions
"Public Safety and Lives Are the Top Priority"
On October 10, Kim Sunghwan, Minister of Climate, Energy and Environment, visited the Korea Western Power Taean Coal Power Plant in Taean County, South Chungcheong Province, to review the progress of decommissioning outdated coal-fired generators. Taean Coal Unit 1 is the first coal-fired facility to be shut down under the new administration and will be decommissioned in December.
At the site, Minister Kim stated, "This visit to the Taean Coal Power Plant marks the starting point for a green transition in response to the climate crisis and signals the government's strong commitment to preserving jobs through a just transition."
The Ministry of Climate, Energy and Environment explained that this visit is significant as it is the first on-site action to implement the government's 'clean power transition' policy in earnest, and serves as the starting point for a green transition to address the climate crisis. At the site, Minister Kim reviewed the phased progress of coal power reduction and also examined measures for employment stability and industrial accident prevention for power plant workers.
Environment Minister nominee Kim Sunghwan is arriving at the confirmation hearing preparation office set up at the Irum Center in Yeouido, Yeongdeungpo-gu, Seoul on June 24, 2025. Photo by Yoon Dongju
The government plans to begin with the decommissioning of Taean Coal Unit 1 and gradually shut down outdated coal-fired generators by 2030. In particular, this plant closure is being promoted with the core principle of a 'just transition without job losses.' Of the 129 power plant personnel, 65 employees from Korea Western Power headquarters will be relocated to the Gumi natural gas power plant, while 64 employees from partner companies (including KEPCO KPS, Geumhwa PSC, and KEPCO Plant Service & Engineering) will be reassigned to other coal-fired power plants in Taean.
Safety management measures will also be strengthened. In order to prevent tragedies like the industrial accident that claimed the life of Kim Chunghyun in early June, the Office for Government Policy Coordination, Ministry of Economy and Finance, Ministry of Employment and Labor, and Ministry of Climate, Energy and Environment are implementing field-centered measures to prevent recurrence. In addition, a 'job security consultative body' has been formed with the two major labor unions to discuss strengthening industrial safety and improving on-site safety training among labor, management, and government.
Meanwhile, since the launch of the ministry, Minister Kim has been visiting energy sites daily to strengthen policy implementation. On October 2, he visited the Korea Power Exchange Gyeongin Branch in Uiwang, Gyeonggi Province, to review the electricity supply and demand response during the Chuseok holiday period.
A ministry official stated, "After the decommissioning of coal power plants, the government plans to repurpose the sites as hubs for clean energy industries," adding, "We are also preparing concrete action plans to minimize the impact on the local economy and link the transition to renewable energy with job creation."
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