Electricity Rates Expected to Drop, Companies to Be Attracted
Resolution of Renewable Energy Output Control
"Achieving Annual Basic Energy Income of 1 Trillion Won"
Kim Young-rok, Governor of Jeollanam-do Province, stated that with the designation of the entire Jeollanam-do region as a specialized zone for distributed energy, "We welcome this together with all residents, and we will use this opportunity to accelerate the development of the energy industry and transform Jeollanam-do from a land of opportunity into a land of prosperity."
According to Jeollanam-do Province on November 5, at the 36th Energy Committee meeting presided over by Minister of Climate, Energy, and Environment Kim Sung-hwan, a total of four areas-Jeollanam-do, Jeju, Busan, and Gyeonggi-were finally designated as distributed energy special zones.
Governor Kim emphasized, "While the Solaseado Corporate City (designated area: 145 km²) was the final candidate in May, the designation has now been greatly expanded to cover the entire Jeollanam-do region (designated area: 12,363 km²), allowing all 22 cities and counties to benefit from the distributed energy special zone."
The distributed energy special zone is a local production and consumption system where electricity generated in the region is used locally. Private power generation companies can supply electricity directly to businesses and residents without going through Korea Electric Power Corporation, making it possible to provide electricity at lower prices. Regulatory exemptions are applied, allowing various new energy technologies to be tested.
This designation lays the foundation for attracting global AI companies that require massive amounts of electricity in the era of artificial intelligence.
In addition, OpenAI and SK Group have decided to jointly establish a global AI data center in Jeollanam-do, and the Samsung SDS consortium has selected Jeollanam-do as a candidate site for an AI data center and submitted an application, suggesting that more high-tech companies are likely to flock to the region in the future.
With the recent attraction of the global data center by OpenAI and SK Group, as well as the national AI computing center led by Samsung SDS with a project size of 2.5 trillion won, it is expected that even more advanced companies will choose Jeollanam-do as their destination.
Key industrial complexes in the province, including Yeosu Petrochemical Complex, Gwangyang Steel Complex, and Daebul Industrial Complex in Yeongam, will be established as microgrids.
This will enable renewable energy produced in Jeollanam-do to be supplied directly and affordably to industrial complexes, accelerating the realization of RE100 and transforming these complexes into next-generation smart industrial parks.
Jeollanam-do Province expects that, with regulatory exemptions for new energy technologies, it can lead the nation in demonstrating and commercializing future technologies, from AI-based energy management to ultra-large-scale energy storage systems (ESS). Additionally, power supply facilities such as 154kV substations can be installed on a priority basis.
Governor Kim stated, "With this designation as a distributed energy special zone, we will further accelerate the development of the energy industry, significantly expanding renewable energy facilities from the current 6.6GW to 29GW by 2030 and 58.6GW by 2035, creating a city of energy for the future. We will establish RE100 industrial complexes throughout the province, leap forward as a hub for AI and energy, and realize an annual basic energy income of 1 trillion won."
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