Doosan Enerbility Targets Domestic Pumped Storage Market with '5.7GW Scale'

Stable Supply of Renewable Energy
"Optimal Alternative for Power Grid Stability"

Doosan Enerbility announced on the 3rd that it will actively participate in the domestic pumped-storage power generation business. As the government is planning to build multiple pumped-storage power plants, Doosan Enerbility intends to aggressively target this business.

The government stated in the 11th Basic Plan for Electricity Supply and Demand and other working drafts that a long-term energy storage system (ESS) of 21.5GW will be needed by 2038 to ensure stable grid operation amid the expansion of renewable energy. The capacity of pumped-storage power plants, regarded as a representative ESS, to be constructed in the future amounts to 5.7GW (a total of 9 units).

Exterior view of Doosan Enerbility Changwon Headquarters. Provided by Doosan Enerbility

As the first project among them, Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power is promoting the construction of a new 500㎿ pumped-storage power plant in Yeongdong-gun, Chungbuk, for the first time in 13 years. In addition, multiple pumped-storage power plants are planned in Hongcheon, Pocheon, Hapcheon, and other locations, with main equipment orders expected to reach trillions of won in the future.

Pumped-storage power generation is an energy storage system (ESS) that compensates for the intermittency and variability of renewable energy. It uses inexpensive electricity during the night when power demand is low or stores surplus electricity generated by solar power during the day, then produces electricity by releasing water from the upper reservoir to the lower reservoir when power demand increases. It enables stable energy storage and utilization, has a long lifespan, and poses less risk of fire and other hazards.

Doosan Enerbility signed a business and technology cooperation agreement in 2019 with Andritz, the world’s No. 1 supplier of main equipment for hydropower and pumped-storage power plants based in Austria, laying the foundation for independent design technology of main equipment for hydropower and pumped-storage power plants. To expand hydropower projects domestically and internationally, it is jointly developing a 30㎿ class turbine-generator for hydropower with KHNP.

Kim Jong-du, Head of the Nuclear BG at Doosan Enerbility, said, "Pumped-storage power generation is the optimal solution for grid stability amid the expansion of renewable energy," adding, "We will do our best to provide carbon-free power generation solutions, including nuclear power, gas turbines convertible to hydrogen turbines, and the supply of main equipment for hydropower and pumped-storage power plants."

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