Seven Provincial Governments, Including Gangwon, Hold National Assembly Forum on Regional Differential Electricity Rate System Considering Power Self-Sufficiency

Gangwon Province Stresses the Need for a Rational System
Based on Power Self-Sufficiency

On September 26, seven provincial governments, including Gangwon Special Self-Governing Province, held a National Assembly forum in the main conference room of the National Assembly Members' Office Building on the topic of the "Regional Differential Electricity Rate System Considering Power Self-Sufficiency."

Seven provincial governments, including Gangwon Special Self-Governing Province, are holding a National Assembly forum on the 26th at the National Assembly Members' Hall auditorium titled "Regional Differential Electricity Rate System Considering Power Self-Sufficiency Rate." Provided by Gangwon Special Self-Governing Province

This forum was jointly organized by seven provincial governments with high power self-sufficiency rates: Gangwon, Chungnam, Jeonnam, Gyeongbuk, Gyeongnam, Incheon, and Ulsan, including Gangwon Special Self-Governing Province. Over 400 participants attended, including local National Assembly members, officials from the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, academic experts, and local residents.

The forum began with a keynote presentation by Professor Jeon Younghwan of Hongik University, followed by a panel discussion featuring experts from academia and industry, as well as government officials. Participants engaged in in-depth discussions on the following topics: designing electricity rate systems that prioritize power self-sufficiency, establishing procedures to incorporate local opinions, and the need for institutional improvements linked to balanced national development.

Until now, Gangwon Special Self-Governing Province has supplied a significant amount of electricity as a central hub for national power production. However, due to the limitations of the nationwide single-rate system, the region has not fully benefited from opportunities to revitalize its local economy. While Gangwon has borne the social and environmental burdens of building power plants and transmission networks, the benefits of electricity consumption have been concentrated in the Seoul metropolitan area, resulting in ongoing structural imbalances.

Through this forum, Gangwon Special Self-Governing Province pointed out the reality that, under the nationwide single-rate system, it supplies electricity to the Seoul metropolitan area but does not receive opportunities for local economic revitalization. The province emphasized the need for institutional reforms to achieve balanced regional development and promote distributed energy.

Park Kwangyong, Director of the Industry Bureau of Gangwon Special Self-Governing Province, stated, "For decades, Gangwon Special Self-Governing Province has endured social and environmental burdens from the construction of power plants and transmission networks for the sake of national development. Now, through a differential electricity rate system, we must enhance overall national efficiency and usher in a new era of genuine balanced development where all regions prosper together."

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