Regular National Assembly D-5... Urgent Path Ahead for the 9th Power Supply and Demand Plan

After the Ministry of Environment's Strategic Environmental Impact Assessment
Government Proposal Finalized → Reported to the National Assembly's Industry, Energy, and Resources Committee → Confirmed and Announced by the Power Policy Deliberation Committee
Government: "Announcement Will Follow Optimal Inter-Ministerial Agreement Rather Than Considering National Assembly Schedule"

Professor Yoo Seung-hoon of the Department of Energy Policy at Seoul National University of Science and Technology speaking at the "9th Basic Plan for Electricity Supply and Demand (9th Electricity Plan) Working Group Key Discussion Results Briefing" held at COEX in Gangnam-gu, Seoul on May 8. Professor Yoo is the chair of the general subcommittee of the working group, an advisory body for the establishment of the 9th Electricity Plan. Photo by Moon Ho-nam munonam@

[Asia Economy Reporter Moon Chaeseok] With the September regular session of the National Assembly just five days away, voices are growing louder urging the government to promptly announce the national power supply and demand basic plan. Although there is no institutional reason for the government to hastily announce a long-term energy plan in line with the National Assembly schedule, the prevailing view is that the government cannot ignore the parliamentary timetable for smooth state administration. The government has stated it will prepare the plan as soon as possible.

According to the National Assembly on the 27th, the September regular session will open on October 1. For the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, the main energy authority, preparations must be made for the government questioning by economic ministries on October 9, two weeks of committee inquiries and issue reports (Industry, Trade, Small and Medium Enterprises Committee) following the questioning, and the three-week-long audit of state affairs starting October 5.

Attention is focused on the '9th Basic Plan for Power Supply and Demand' (9th Power Plan), which includes projections of facilities and power generation by energy source and supply-demand plans through 2034. A notable moment occurred on the 25th during the National Assembly’s Industry, Trade, Small and Medium Enterprises Committee Budget and Accounts Special Committee, when Lee Soyoung, a member of the Democratic Party of Korea, questioned Minister Sung Yoon-mo of the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy about the inadequate inclusion of environmental dispatch in the 9th Power Plan. Minister Sung gave a general response, saying, "We are currently consulting with related ministries regarding environmental dispatch."

The key issue of environmental dispatch in the 9th Power Plan is the principle that energy supply plans should include not only economic feasibility but also environmental factors. This means that the 9th Power Plan must faithfully incorporate plans to reduce greenhouse gases and fine dust. The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy must pass the Ministry of Environment’s Strategic Environmental Impact Assessment before announcing the 9th Power Plan. Therefore, the government explains that intense inter-ministerial discussions are underway on how to prepare the detailed aspects of environmental dispatch.

A major point of contention is how to apply the carbon emissions trading system to the energy supply strategy in the 9th Power Plan. The Ministry of Environment advocates linking the emissions trading system to the 9th Power Plan, while the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy is reportedly inclined to focus on carbon reduction primarily through coal reduction. The carbon emissions trading system requires companies to purchase emission permits if they emit more greenhouse gases than their allowed quota.

Projected power generation share from the 9th Basic Plan for Electricity Supply and Demand Working Group announced on May 8. (Source: 9th Basic Electricity Working Group)

If the emissions trading system is linked to the 9th Power Plan, the 2034 power generation projections presented in the draft announced by the 9th Power Plan working group last May?'Nuclear 23.6% - Coal 28.6% - Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) 19.7% - New and Renewable Energy 26.3% - Others (Pumped storage, etc.) 1.8%'?could change. Since the government has repeatedly stated its intention to reduce coal and nuclear power, the share of LNG and new and renewable energy is likely to increase to reduce carbon emissions.

An official from the Ministry of Environment said, "The Strategic Environmental Impact Assessment must include supplementary content from the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, but we have not yet received the supplementary documents. Since the Basic Energy Plan and the 2030 Greenhouse Gas Reduction Roadmap include content related to the emissions trading system, we requested specific related materials from the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy to examine consistency between the 9th Power Plan and these plans."

An official from the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy said, "Even if the results of the Ministry of Environment’s Strategic Environmental Impact Assessment are reflected, the projected share of facilities will be maintained, and the power generation projections may be adjusted somewhat. Although discussions are ongoing, depending on the environmental dispatch measures, it is possible that coal power generation will be reduced (compared to the draft) and LNG power generation increased."

After the Ministry of Environment completes the Strategic Environmental Impact Assessment, procedures such as 'government plan confirmation → report to the National Assembly’s Industry, Trade, Small and Medium Enterprises Committee → finalization and announcement by the Power Policy Deliberation Committee' will follow. Neither the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy nor the Ministry of Environment has definitively stated that the 9th Power Plan will be announced hastily due to the National Assembly schedule.

An official from the Ministry of Environment said, "The Strategic Environmental Impact Assessment will be conducted after receiving the supplementary documents from the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, which is the plan-making agency." An official from the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy said, "The schedule of the National Assembly’s Industry, Trade, Small and Medium Enterprises Committee can be set at any time by agreement between ruling and opposition party floor leaders, even if it is not during the government questioning period on October 9. We will announce the plan after preparing the optimal measures through substantive consultations with the Ministry of Environment."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.