Gwangju City Launches Energy Welfare Project for Vulnerable Groups

[Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Park Jin-hyung] Gwangju Metropolitan City will actively promote various energy welfare projects such as LED lighting, briquettes, and kerosene targeting low-income vulnerable groups starting in May.

The support projects are divided into ▲facility improvement projects (LED light replacement, facility improvement for households using LPG containers) ▲energy sharing welfare projects (energy vouchers, briquette and kerosene support), and will be carried out accordingly.

The LED light replacement project for vulnerable groups has supported a total of 10,230 locations and 16.9 billion KRW since 2014, targeting low-income households and welfare facilities. This year, a total of 704 locations (648 low-income households, 56 welfare facilities) will be supported with a project budget of 950 million KRW to promote energy efficiency.

With this project, it is expected that electricity bill savings and energy reduction effects will be significant through improved power efficiency and extended lifespan.

In addition, Gwangju City is actively working on gas accident prevention by investing 41 million KRW to carry out the ‘Facility Improvement Project for Households Using LPG Containers,’ which replaces LPG rubber hoses vulnerable to gas accidents with metal pipes and fuse cocks at 165 locations.

The project targets all general households using LPG containers. However, commercial use, households planned for LPG pipeline networks, and households scheduled for conversion to city gas are excluded from support.

The improvement cost per household is 250,000 KRW, with a support amount of 200,000 KRW, so selected households only need to pay 50,000 KRW out of pocket.

The heating fuel support project for low-income households aims to assist energy-vulnerable groups in the region with winter heating costs. ▲Briquette support provides 130,000 KRW per household to 351 basic livelihood security recipients, with a project budget of 46 million KRW ▲Kerosene support provides 155,000 KRW per household to 1,170 basic livelihood security recipients who are disabled or elderly living alone, with a project budget of 181 million KRW.

In addition, heating and cooling costs can also be supported through partner organizations such as the Korea Energy Agency’s ▲Energy Voucher (vouchers for purchasing cooling and heating energy sources such as electricity and gas) ▲Kerosene Voucher (heating oil support project for low-income households), and the Korea Mine Reclamation Corporation’s ▲Briquette Coupon (briquette subsidy project for low-income households).

Kwon Dae-hyuk, head of the Energy Industry Division of the city, said, “Energy is an essential public good to maintain a humane life,” and added, “We will continue to promote various energy welfare projects so that energy-vulnerable groups can fully enjoy energy benefits.”

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