Taean power station

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Taean power station (태안화력) is an operating power station of at least 6446-megawatts (MW) in Banggal, Wonbuk, Taean, South Chungcheong, South Korea with multiple units, some of which are not currently operating. It is also known as 태안화력.

Location

Table 1: Project-level location details

Plant name	Location	Coordinates (WGS 84)
Taean power station	Banggal, Wonbuk, Taean, South Chungcheong, South Korea	36.903319, 126.234263 (exact)

The map below shows the exact location of the power station.

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Unit-level coordinates (WGS 84):

• Unit 1, Unit 2, Unit 3, Unit 4, Unit 5, Unit 6, Unit 7, Unit 8: 36.903319, 126.234263
• Unit 10, Unit 9, Unit IGCC Project: 36.9055681, 126.2346268
• Unit 1, Unit 2, Unit 3, Unit 4, Unit 5, Unit 6: 36.90557, 126.23463

Project Details

Table 2: Unit-level details

Unit name	Status	Fuel(s)	Capacity (MW)	Technology	CHP	Start year	Retired year
Unit 1	operating	coal - bituminous	500	supercritical	–	1995	2025 (planned)
Unit 1	announced	liquefied natural gas	500	not found	not found	2025	–
Unit 10	operating	coal - bituminous	1050	ultra-supercritical	–	2017	2047 (planned)
Unit 2	operating	coal - bituminous	500	supercritical	–	1996	2025 (planned)
Unit 2	announced	liquefied natural gas	500	not found	not found	2025	–
Unit 3	operating	coal - bituminous	500	supercritical	–	1997	2028 (planned)
Unit 3	announced	liquefied natural gas	500	not found	not found	2028	–
Unit 4	operating	coal - bituminous	500	supercritical	–	1997	2029 (planned)
Unit 4	announced	liquefied natural gas	500	not found	not found	2029	–
Unit 5	operating	coal - bituminous	500	supercritical	–	2001	2032 (planned)
Unit 5	announced	liquefied natural gas	500	not found	not found	2032	–
Unit 6	operating	coal - bituminous	500	supercritical	–	2002	2032 (planned)
Unit 6	announced	liquefied natural gas	500	not found	not found	2032	–
Unit 7	operating	coal - bituminous	500	ultra-supercritical	–	2007	2037 (planned)
Unit 8	operating	coal - bituminous	500	ultra-supercritical	–	2007	2037 (planned)
Unit 9	operating	coal - bituminous	1050	ultra-supercritical	–	2016	2046 (planned)
Unit IGCC Project	operating	coal - unknown	346	integrated gasification combined cycle	–	2016	–

CHP is an abbreviation for Combined Heat and Power. It is a technology that produces electricity and thermal energy at high efficiencies. Coal units track this information in the Captive Use section when known.

Table 3: Unit-level ownership and operator details

Unit name	Owner	Parent
Unit 1	Korea Western Power Co Ltd (KOWEPO) [100.0%]	–
Unit 1	Korea Western Power Co Ltd (KOWEPO)	Korea Electric Power Corporation (KEPCO) [100.0%]
Unit 10	Korea Western Power Co Ltd (KOWEPO) [100.0%]	–
Unit 2	Korea Western Power Co Ltd (KOWEPO) [100.0%]	–
Unit 2	Korea Western Power Co Ltd (KOWEPO)	Korea Electric Power Corporation (KEPCO) [100.0%]
Unit 3	Korea Western Power Co Ltd (KOWEPO) [100.0%]	–
Unit 3	Korea Western Power Co Ltd (KOWEPO)	Korea Electric Power Corporation (KEPCO) [100.0%]
Unit 4	Korea Western Power Co Ltd (KOWEPO) [100.0%]	–
Unit 4	Korea Western Power Co Ltd (KOWEPO)	Korea Electric Power Corporation (KEPCO) [100.0%]
Unit 5	Korea Western Power Co Ltd (KOWEPO) [100.0%]	–
Unit 5	Korea Western Power Co Ltd (KOWEPO)	Korea Electric Power Corporation (KEPCO) [100.0%]
Unit 6	Korea Western Power Co Ltd (KOWEPO) [100.0%]	–
Unit 6	Korea Western Power Co Ltd (KOWEPO)	Korea Electric Power Corporation (KEPCO) [100.0%]
Unit 7	Korea Western Power Co Ltd (KOWEPO) [100.0%]	–
Unit 8	Korea Western Power Co Ltd (KOWEPO) [100.0%]	–
Unit 9	Korea Western Power Co Ltd (KOWEPO) [100.0%]	–
Unit IGCC Project	Korea Western Power Co Ltd (KOWEPO) [100.0%]	–

Financing

• Source of financing: Units 9 and 10: National Pension Service (US$256,110,465), NH Investment Securities (US$137,215,245), Korea Post (US$18,295,366), and IBK Affiliates (US$54,883,766)

Background

The Taean power station has a coal-fired capacity of 6,466 MW fueled with bituminous coal. In addition, a 300 MW IGCC plant is located at the site. The plant is one of the top ten largest coal plants in the world.

The power station originally consisted of eight 500 MW units built from 1995-2007. The 4,000 MW plant provides power to the South Korean capital and the surrounding regions and is located in Taeangun, Chungcheongnam-do, about 100km southwest of Seoul.

According to the country's 8th Basic Plan for Long-Term Electricity Supply and Demand (2017-2031), finalized in December 2017, Taean power station Units 1-2 were proposed to be converted to burn gas instead. The date of the proposed conversion was not listed.

However, in the 9th Basic Plan released in 2020, a schedule was set to replace coal units 1-6 with LNG plants from 2025-2032. In September 2022, the Chungcheongnam-do Council Chairman, while advocating for the Taean power station's early closure, pointed out that replacement LNG plants would be located in different regions and would not provide replacement employment for power station workers.

In April 2023, it was reported that the Taean power plant was South Korea's largest emitter of greenhouse gasses in 2022.

Coal Expansion

Units 9 and 10 of 1,050 MW each (2,100 MW total) were scheduled for completion in 2016.

The new units were delayed due to accidents and defects. Before the completion of the project, the third stage of the turbine, which is the core cycle, was damaged and a fire occurred, delaying commissioning. Unit 9 was eventually completed in 2016, and Unit 10 was completed in 2017.

Financing for Units 9 and 10

The project was financed through bonds from the following entities: National Pension Service (US$256,110,465), NH Investment Securities (US$137,215,245), Korea Post (US$18,295,366), and IBK Affiliates (US$54,883,766).

Taean IGCC Project

The Taean IGCC Project is the first commercial integrated gasification combined cycle project to be built in South Korea. The 346 MW project was planned to produce syngas from low-BTU coal; the syngas would then be burned to generate electricity.

As of 2014, the project was under construction and slated for start-up in late 2015.

The IGCC plant was being considered for retrofit with carbon capture and storage technology by 2020, known as Korea-CCS2.

On August 19, 2016, KEPCO announced the IGCC plant had begun operation.

In January 2023, an explosion occurred at the IGCC unit, which caused a fire that lasted several hours.

Opposition

The power station has faced intense opposition over the years. For example, in November 2021, a new coal ash waste deal triggered protests by environmental groups including the Ando Lighthouse Keeper, the Coastal Beach Keeper of Korea, and the Green National Alliance Taean-gun Branch. Demonstrations included various slogans and banners, such as 'Taean Thermal Power should immediately stop shipping coal waste (reclaimed ash)' and 'Did Taean Thermal Power forget the sinking of a coal waste carrier that ruined the Taean Sea?' In October 2019, the Moasun No. 12001 barge carrying more than 6,000 tons of coal ash sank near Geunheung-myeon, Taean-gun. The site has been associated with various environmental act violations.

Opposition also exists against an 'un-just' energy transition. In April 2022, workers from the Taean plant supported the formation of the Climate Justice Alliance for System Transformation, which focuses on the social equity components of South Korea's coal phase-out. The alliance noted that skilled coal workers were being laid off in large numbers and that there must be solidarity among these people while the transition to renewable energy takes place.

Criminal Charges after Worker Death

In December 2018, a fatal accident occurred at the plant when a nightshift worker got caught in the machinery while inspecting a coal conveyor belt for Units 9 and 10 of the power station. According to reports, other employees of the plant stated: "the cause of Kim’s death was the fact that... Korea Western Power had given the job to a subcontractor that bid too low to allow their employees to work in pairs."

In February 2022, the Daejeon District Court ruled that subcontractors had violated safety management duties, and the former CEO of Korea Development Technology was sentenced to one year and six months in prison and two years of probation. Seven executives and employees of Korea Western Power were sentenced to two years of probation, but the then-president of Korea Western Power was acquitted.

In February 2023, it was reported that "the 2nd Criminal Appeal Division of the Daejeon District Court (Chief Judge Choi Hyung-cheol) dismissed the prosecution's appeal and acquitted Kim Byeong-sook, former president of Korea Western Power, who was accused of manslaughter on the job and violation of the Industrial Safety and Health Act."

Planned retirement and Just Transition dialogue

Units 1 & 2 are scheduled to close by 2025; Unit 3 by 2028; Unit 4 by 2029; Units 5 & 6 by 2032; Units 7 & 8 by 2037; Unit 9 by 2046.

In late 2023, reports began to give voice to employees of Taean power station who were concerned about their future livelihoods following the planned retirement of the coal plant's units. Workers appeared to generally agree with the closure of the coal plant, but demanded a Just Transition dialogue that would take their future economic stability into account. A November 2023 article addressed government responses to these demands, including government-sponsored alternative energy projects, such as wind farms, that would guarantee employment to the previous coal plant workers.

Articles and Resources

Additional data

To access additional data, including interactive maps of the power stations, downloadable datases, and summary data, please visit the Global Coal Plant Tracker and the Global Oil and Gas Plant Tracker on the Global Energy Monitor website.