KEPCO-Samsung Electronics to Collaborate on Timely Power Supply and Community Acceptance for Yongin Semiconductor Cluster

KEPCO to Integrate Yongin Semiconductor Supply Facilities in Nationwide Power Grid Reinforcement Plan
Key to Success Lies in Securing Resident Acceptance... Collaborative Win-Win Solutions to Be Developed

Korea Electric Power Corporation (KEPCO) and Samsung Electronics are seeking cooperation measures to ensure the timely supply of power to the Yongin Semiconductor Cluster. They also agreed to discuss ways to secure local residents' acceptance, a key factor determining the success of timely power grid reinforcement.

On the 12th, KEPCO announced that Cheon Young-gil, Director of the Energy Policy Office at the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, Kim Tae-ok, Vice President of KEPCO Power Grid, Samsung Electronics officials, and others visited the National Advanced Strategic Industrial Complex in Namsa and Idong-eup, Yongin City, to discuss mutual cooperation plans to supply more than 10GW of power on time by 2050.

According to KEPCO, the attendees explored ways to connect newly installed power generators in the industrial complex to the power grid in a timely manner to supply the electricity needed at the early stages of the complex's development. They agreed on the necessity of integrating KEPCO’s nationwide power grid reinforcement plans with the semiconductor cluster’s supply facilities to transport power generated from distant locations to the Yongin Semiconductor Cluster.

Furthermore, since securing the acceptance of local residents and relevant local governments is a crucial factor for the success of timely power grid reinforcement, KEPCO and Samsung Electronics decided to collaborate on devising win-win plans that can contribute to the environment and economy of areas surrounding power facilities.

Vice President Kim of KEPCO stated, "To strengthen the competitiveness of the national advanced industry, we will steadily build a power supply network based on carbon-free power sources such as nuclear and renewable energy. To this end, we will continuously strive to secure residents' acceptance by realizing compensation and support for areas surrounding power facilities."

On the same day, KEPCO held a completion ceremony for the '345kV Godeok-Seo Anseong Transmission Line Construction Project,' aimed at stable power supply to Samsung Electronics’ Pyeongtaek Campus and reinforcement of the power system in the southern Gyeonggi region.

This project was first planned in August 2013 under the 6th Transmission and Substation Facility Plan. It is a large-scale construction project with a total line length of 23.5 km passing through three local governments?Yongin, Anseong, and Pyeongtaek?and nine towns, townships, and neighborhoods. At that time, conflicts with local residents in Anseong City persisted. To resolve these, in 2018, KEPCO, Anseong City, and the residents’ countermeasure committee derived a partial undergrounding plan for some sections through a conflict mediation committee. In March 2019, KEPCO, Samsung Electronics, the residents’ countermeasure committee, and local members of the National Assembly signed a win-win cooperation memorandum of understanding (MOU), which helped find a breakthrough in resolving the conflict. Subsequently, full-scale construction began in July 2020, and the project was completed about eight months ahead of schedule.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

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