"922 Solar Power Facilities in Landslide Risk Zones Grades 1 and 2"

"14 out of 27 Solar Landslides This Summer Occurred in Grade 1 and 2 Areas"

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Moon Chaeseok] It has been revealed that there are 922 solar power facilities installed within the nationwide landslide risk zones classified as grade 1 and 2.

On the 6th, Koo Ja-geun, a member of the People Power Party and the National Assembly's Industry, Trade, Energy, Small and Medium Enterprises Committee, announced that after analyzing data received from the Korea Forest Service, 7.4% (922 out of 12,527) of solar power facilities in mountainous areas are installed in landslide risk zones classified as grade 1 and 2.

The solar power facilities located in landslide risk grade 1 and 2 areas are distributed as follows: 245 in Jeonbuk, 238 in Jeonnam, 150 in Gyeongbuk, 108 in Chungnam, 76 in Gyeongnam, and 54 in Gangwon.

The Korea Forest Service classifies the probability of landslide occurrence in forests nationwide into five grades and produces a landslide risk map. Grades 1 and 2 are considered to have the highest probability of landslides.

In July 2018, the Ministry of Environment designated landslide risk grade 1 and 2 areas as "avoidance zones for mountainous solar power facility installation."

However, this summer, there were 27 cases of landslides involving solar power facilities in July and August, with 14 occurring in landslide risk grade 1 and 2 areas. Among these, five solar power facilities were installed after July 2018, according to Representative Koo.

Representative Koo pointed out, "Despite the possibility of landslide accidents during the rainy season due to solar power facilities located in high-risk landslide areas, proper management is lacking," and criticized, "Due to the government's excessive expansion of new and renewable energy, solar power facilities have been indiscriminately installed even in landslide risk zones."

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