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The government has confirmed and disclosed the ninth electricity supply and demand plan, which contains the energy supply and demand plan for 2034. Until 2034, 30 coal-fired power plants with 30 years of operation will be eliminated, of which 24 they will be replaced by liquefied natural gas (LNG) electricity generation. Nuclear power generation is currently reducing 24 units to 17 units, including Shinhanul Units 3 and 4 Baekjihwa, and new and renewable energy, the main objective is to increase the capacity of power generation facilities by approximately four times the capacity current.
However, criticism of this plan has already spilled from the forecast of electricity supply and demand like a garbage that lacks reality. The biggest problem is the energy supply sector. The government said that the capacity of the coal (35.8GW) and nuclear (23.3GW) plants will be reduced to 29.0GW and 19.4GW, respectively, by 2034, while LNG will increase from 41.3GW to 59 1GW and renewables from 20.1GW to 77.8GW. Plan.
However, experts note that the possibility of rapid expansion of new and renewable energy is very low given the enormous cost and low efficiency of power generation. Over the past five years and eight months, nearly 19 trillion won were invested in building solar power plants at more than 60,000 locations across the country, but the energy produced is only the level of a nuclear power plant in Shin -Kori Unit 4, which costs less than 4 billion won to build. Additionally, to achieve the government-announced intermediate target (expanded to 42.7GW by 2025), land equivalent to six times the area of Bundang must be covered with solar panels within four years. It means that an increase in electricity prices is inevitable due to an impractical or astronomical cost entry.
Some point out that the demand for electricity was underestimated. The government predicted that peak energy demand in 2034 would be 102.5 GW and an average annual growth rate of 1.0%. Compared to the preliminary working group, the estimated peak power demand was reduced by 1.7 GW. Although it reflects the economic situation caused by the crown, the assumption that the crown effect will continue for 15 years is not realistic.
Another problem is that it conflicts with the ‘2050 carbon neutral’ policy announced by the government. Japan, China and others plan to increase nuclear power plants that do not emit greenhouse gases for carbon neutrality. On the other hand, the government insisted on ‘de-nuclear power’, saying it is carbon neutral, and said it will expand power generation from LNG that emits greenhouse gases. Experts note that carbon neutrality is difficult when increasing power generation from LNG, a fossil fuel.
The basis for all these problems is the government’s unreasonable push for nuclear power generation. While it is necessary to find the ‘optimal combination for each energy source’ in various aspects such as power generation efficiency, cost and greenhouse gas emission, the big picture is ruined when the remaining variables are combined with a nuclear power plant as a prerequisite. The suspicion of ‘unjustly closing Wolsong Unit 1’ grows due to the audit of the Audit and Inspection Service and the investigation of the prosecution until when will the government insist on abandoning the nuclear power plant?
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