Paju City Enacts Gyeonggi Province’s First “Ordinance on Promoting Distributed Energy”

Establishing a Foundation for Basic Energy Supply for Citizens
Accelerating the Implementation of the "Affordable Electricity Rate System"

Paju City in Gyeonggi Province has established an institutional foundation to provide stable electricity to its citizens. On October 24, Paju City announced that the “Ordinance on Promoting Distributed Energy in Paju City” had passed the plenary session of the Paju City Council held on October 22.

Paju City Hall exterior. Provided by Paju City

This ordinance is the first of its kind enacted in Gyeonggi Province regarding distributed energy. Its core is to institutionalize a “local production and consumption-based electricity system,” in which electricity is generated and consumed within the region, and to establish a “basic energy supply foundation” that ensures all citizens have reliable access to essential electricity.

The ordinance consists of a total of 12 articles, including: ▲establishing and implementing a plan to promote distributed energy ▲designating distributed energy specialized zones ▲providing financial support and training professionals ▲building social consensus ▲establishing cooperative systems, among other provisions.

Through the enactment of this ordinance, Paju City plans to increase the region’s electricity self-sufficiency rate and gradually expand distributed power infrastructure using public land and community facilities. Additionally, the city will introduce an “Affordable Electricity Rate System” to supply locally produced electricity to citizens at lower costs, thereby reducing household electricity expenses and realizing practical, citizen-focused energy welfare.

Going forward, the city will recruit pilot apartment complexes to ensure basic energy supply and promote the designation of distributed energy specialized zones. It also plans to form a consultative body involving citizens, experts, and public institutions to jointly implement distributed energy policies. Through these efforts, Paju City aims to establish a “Greater Seoul Area Local Production and Consumption City” model, where electricity produced within the region is consumed locally, and to proactively lay the groundwork for electricity rate stabilization in preparation for the future introduction of regionally differentiated electricity rates.

Paju City Mayor Kim Kyoungil stated, “This ordinance marks a new starting point for local governments to take responsibility for citizens’ energy welfare,” adding, “We will swiftly proceed with guaranteeing basic energy and implementing the Affordable Electricity Rate System so that all citizens can live without worrying about electricity bills.”

He continued, “The distributed energy system led by Paju will become a representative model for power stability in the greater Seoul area. By ushering in an era where regions produce and manage their own energy, we will present a new milestone in national energy policy.”

Meanwhile, last year, Paju City established the RE100 Support Team and has been promoting the “Public Renewable Energy Direct Power Purchase Agreement (PPA)” project, directly supplying renewable energy to companies by utilizing public facilities such as the Munsan Water Purification Plant, bicycle paths, and parking lots.

With the enactment of this ordinance, Paju City is solidifying its foundation as an “energy innovation city,” advancing from RE100 to distributed energy.

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