Did the Wolsong Nuclear Plant slip their mind... Ruling Party pressures government for early phase-out of coal power this time

Demand for Early Closure of Coal Power Plants Nearing End of Operating Life to Achieve 40% NDC
Following 2050 Carbon Neutrality Scenario, Calls for 'Cut Losses' on POSCO Samcheok Power Plant
Ministry of Industry Says "Legal Framework First"...Ruling Party Hardline Environmentalists Blocking Coal Phase-Out After Nuclear Phase-Out

[Sejong=Asia Economy Reporter Kwon Haeyoung] To achieve the national greenhouse gas reduction target of 40% by 2030, some ruling party members are pressuring the government to phase out coal-fired power plants that still have remaining operational life early. Following the nuclear phase-out, they intend to put a 'final nail in the coffin' of energy transition policies by the end of the Moon Jae-in administration with a coal phase-out as well. Concerns are being raised that the Wolseong nuclear power plant incident, which caused enormous aftershocks due to early closure, might be repeated.

According to political circles on the 21st, some ruling party lawmakers are demanding that the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy prepare a plan to phase out some coal power generators, originally scheduled for closure by 2034, by 2030.

According to the 9th Basic Plan for Electricity Supply and Demand announced by the Ministry of Industry at the end of last year, 30 out of 60 coal power generators that have reached 30 years of operational life will be phased out gradually by 2034. Among these, some ruling party members are urging the establishment of a detailed implementation plan to accelerate the phase-out of six coal power generators, originally scheduled for closure between 2031 and 2034, to be completed by 2030 as part of the enhanced Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) for greenhouse gas reduction.

Unlike the legally binding NDC, there are also voices demanding early coal power plant closures based on the declarative '2050 Carbon Neutrality Scenario.' On the previous day, Yang Yi-won-young, a member of the Democratic Party of Korea, pressed Minister Moon Seung-wook of the Ministry of Industry during a comprehensive audit, asking, "If the government decides on early coal power plant closures, POSCO says it will comply, so what plans do you have?" This came right after she urged POSCO President Kim Hak-dong to halt the construction of the Samcheok thermal power plant, currently being built by a POSCO affiliate with a target completion in 2024, and to cut losses (estimated at 3.3 trillion won).

Minister Moon explained, "This can be done on the premise that a legal environment allowing private power generation to be stopped is established," adding, "The Energy Transition Support Act proposed by Representative Yang could serve as the legal basis." This law includes provisions to compensate developers for losses incurred due to changes, cancellations, or withdrawals of power projects caused by energy transition policies. The Ministry of Industry has drawn a line, indicating that without the passage of the Energy Transition Support Act in the National Assembly, it will not proceed with early coal power plant closures on its own.

An official from the Ministry of Industry explained, "The government is asking for the closure of coal power facilities that still have remaining operational life, but there is a high possibility of legal disputes arising in the future," adding, "Even the National Assembly has not passed the Energy Transition Support Act, so it is impossible for the Ministry of Industry to take the lead in phasing out coal power generators early."

The Ministry of Industry maintains the position that coal power, as a baseload power source, must be maintained above a certain proportion to ensure stable electricity supply. In particular, there is significant trauma from the early closure of Wolseong Unit 1, which had more than two years of operational life remaining, leading to a prosecution investigation and the detention of some employees.

Within the energy industry, there are strong criticisms that hardline environmentalists in the ruling party are pressuring the government to accelerate coal and nuclear phase-out policies until the end of the administration. It is said that even the National Assembly has failed to pass the foundational law for coal power phase-out due to the high potential for controversy, leaving only the government and private companies being pressured. The Energy Transition Support Act was proposed in October last year and was only once submitted to the legislative subcommittee in September this year. An opposition party official explained, "Although it was submitted to the subcommittee last month at the request of Representative Yang Yi-won-young, there has been no progress."

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