Page 9 - AsiaElec Week 06 2021
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AsiaElec RENEWABLES AsiaElec
South Korea signs 8.2-GW
offshore wind deal
SOUTH KOREA A number of South Korean companies led by of six nuclear power stations.
KEPCO, Doosan Heavy Industries & Construc- Moon said that the country’s position on
tion and SK E&S have signed a $43bn deal to the Korean peninsula gave it a geographical
build what the South Korean government has advantage.
said will be the world’s biggest offshore wind “We have the infinite potential of offshore
power complex. wind power to the sea on three sides, and we
The 8,200-MW complex will play a major have the world’s best technology in related
part in the country’s efforts to achieve carbon fields,” he added.
neutrality by 2050. The agreement involves 33 different entities,
President Moon Jae-in declared the carbon among them regional governments, the electric-
neutrality goal last year, but at the same time is ity generator KEPCO, and major private firms
looking to phase out nuclear power, leaving the including Doosan Heavy Industries & Construc-
country depending on renewables to square the tion and SK E&S.
circle. Moon warned it could take more than five
Moon oversaw the signing of the KRW48 years to start construction, although the govern-
trillion ($43bn) agreement to build the complex ment will try to accelerate the process.
off Sinan in the country’s south-west, which he Seoul last year announced a target of becom-
said would be seven times bigger than the world’s ing one of the world’s top five offshore wind
current largest offshore wind farm. energy powerhouses by 2030.
South Korea has few energy resources of its South Korea also plans to cut its existing
own and relies on imported coal for 40% of its nuclear power plants (NPPs) – currently the
electricity. country’s only significant low-carbon energy
With a maximum capacity of 8,200 MW, the source – from 24 to 17 by 2034, reducing the
government is banking on it being the equivalent sector’s energy output by nearly half.
Week 06 10•February•2021 www. NEWSBASE .com P9
