Shin Seocheon power station
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Shin Seocheon power station (신서천 발전소) is an operating power station of at least 1018-megawatts (MW) in Maryang-ri, Seocheon, South Chungcheong, South Korea. It is also known as Sin Seocheon power station, New Seocheon power station, 신서천 발전소.
Location
Table 1: Project-level location details
| Plant name | Location | Coordinates (WGS 84) |
|---|---|---|
| Shin Seocheon power station | Maryang-ri, Seocheon, South Chungcheong, South Korea | 36.144144, 126.495938 (exact) |
The map below shows the exact location of the power station.
Unit-level coordinates (WGS 84):
- Unit 1: 36.144144, 126.495938
Project Details
Table 2: Unit-level details
| Unit name | Status | Fuel(s) | Capacity (MW) | Technology | Start year | Retired year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unit 1 | operating | coal - bituminous | 1018 | ultra-supercritical | 2021 | 2051 (planned) |
Table 3: Unit-level ownership and operator details
| Unit name | Owner |
|---|---|
| Unit 1 | Korea Midland Power Co Ltd (KOMIPO) [100.0%] |
Background
Around 2013, owner Korea Midland Power Co. (KOMIPO) proposed to replace the 400-MW Seocheon power station with a new 1,000 MW ultra-supercritical unit.[1][2]
In 2016, Korea Midland Power and Seocheon-gun signed the Shin Seocheon Thermal Power Plant Construction Implementation Agreement, which included plans to restore the Dongbaekjeong Beach and build a resort.[3]
On May 6, 2017, the new unit was reported as under construction and 19% complete.[4] Planet satellite photos show construction progress from May 2017 to April 2018.
The unit was planned for operation in 2020,[5] later changed to 2021.[6]
In May 2021, Korea Midland Power noted the power station was 99% complete and scheduled to start full-scale operation by the end of June 2021. The total project cost was 1.6 trillion won, and the unit was reportedly 1,018 MW.[7][8]
The power station began operating on July 1, 2021.[9]
In November 2021, the power station appeared to be facing urea shortages, which is needed to limit air pollution emissions.[10]
Scheduled retirement
The plant is scheduled to retire in 2051.[11]
Polluting emissions
In February 2023, it was reported that an unidentified metallic "fallout" substance was accumulating on surfaces in the village around the Shin Seocheon power plant. [12]
Opposition and site accidents
The power station has faced intense opposition. For example, in 2017, fishermen protested maritime construction and demanded compensation. The company’s beach restoration project also led to disagreements between local residents.[7]
When the power station began operating in July 2021, members of civic and environmental groups gathered in front of the new unit’s gate to hold a press conference urging Korea Midland Power to stop operation. The press conference was hosted by the Chungnam Action for Climate Crisis, Beyond Coal, and the Seocheon Fine Dust High Voltage Transmission Line Damage Countermeasures Committee. It featured over 100 activists from 17 civic and environmental groups from all over the country.[13]
In September 2023, it was reported that a steam pipe explosion at the power station had resulted in the death of one worker and injuries of three more workers.[14]
Financing
The unit was financed through bonds from the following entities: National Pension Service (US$140,172,016), NongHyup Life Insurance (US$12,188,514), Nonghyup Property and Casualty Insurance (US$3,046,988), NH Investment Securities (US$127,981,711), Korea Post (US$9,142,030), IBK Affiliates (US$18,284,060), and Industrial Bank of Korea (US$3,046,863).[15]
Articles and Resources
References
- ↑ "신서천 유연탄 火電, 1GW 1기로 건설 추진," e2news, November 18, 2013
- ↑ "한전기술, 신서천화력 건설사업 설계기술용역 수주," Korea Power Engineering, August 11, 2015
- ↑ “김윤기 중부발전 서천건설본부장 ‘깨끗하고 안전한 신서천화력 구축할 것’,” EPJ, February 8, 2021
- ↑ "건설中 원전·석탄발전, 차기 정권에서 운명은?," EBN, May 6, 2017
- ↑ "신서천火電, 주기기 설치 본격화… 2020년 3월 준공," e2enews, April 18, 2018
- ↑ "초고효율 친환경 발전소, 신서천화력발전소 건설," KOMIPO, accessed May 2020
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 "신규 석탄발전 건설 어디까지 왔나…④충남 신서천화력발전소," ekn, May 9, 2021
- ↑ “초고효율 친환경, 신서천발전본부,” Komipo, accessed November 2021
- ↑ “한국, 지금도 석탄화력 5기 건설 중인 ‘기후악당국’,” khan, August 30, 2021
- ↑ “군색한 서천화력, 요소수 비축량 '쉬쉬'…구매계약 앞두고 '속앓이',” fnnews, November 15, 2021
- ↑ "Assessing the Health Benefits of a Paris-Aligned Coal Phase Out for South Korea," Annex II (Unit-level phase out schedules), Climate Analytics, May 2021
- ↑ 신서천발전본부 주변 마을 떨어진 ‘낙진물’...성분은? News-Story.co.kr, Feb. 28, 2023
- ↑ “전국17개 시민·환경단체 신서천화력발전소 가동중단 기자회견,” newssc, July 7, 2021
- ↑ 신서천 화력발전소, 스팀 배관 폭발사고···1명 사망·3명 부상, Nate News, Sept. 11, 2023
- ↑ "Financing Dirty Energy: How Korean Public Financial Institutions Support Coal Power". Solutions for Our Climate. January 2018.
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Additional data
To access additional data, including an interactive map of coal-fired power stations, a downloadable dataset, and summary data, please visit the Global Coal Plant Tracker on the Global Energy Monitor website.
