Taean power station
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Taean power station (태안화력) is an operating power station of at least 6446-megawatts (MW) in Bangal, Wonbuk, Taean, Chungcheongnam-do, 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 | Bangal, Wonbuk, Taean, Chungcheongnam-do, South Korea | 36.9055681, 126.2346268 (exact)[1] |
The map below shows the exact location of the power station.
Unit-level coordinates (WGS 84):
- 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, IGCC Project, Unit 10, Unit 9: 36.9055681, 126.2346268
- Unit 1, Unit 2, Unit 3, Unit 4, Unit 5, Unit 6, Unit 7, Unit 8: 36.903319, 126.234263
Project Details
Table 2: Unit-level details
| Unit name | Status | Fuel(s) | Capacity (MW) | Technology | CHP | Start year | Retired year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Announced[2] | fossil gas: LNG[2] | 500[2] | unknown | not found | 2025 (planned)[2] | – |
| 2 | Construction[3][4][2] | fossil gas: LNG[2] | 500[2] | combined cycle[5] | not found | 2027 (planned)[3][2] | – |
| 3 | Announced[2] | fossil gas: LNG[2] | 500[2] | unknown | not found | 2028 (planned)[2] | – |
| 4 | Announced[2] | fossil gas: LNG[2] | 500[2] | unknown | not found | 2029 (planned)[2] | – |
| 5 | Announced[6] | fossil gas: LNG[2] | 500[2] | unknown | not found | 2032 (planned)[2] | – |
| 6 | Announced[6] | fossil gas: LNG[2] | 500[2] | unknown | not found | 2032 (planned)[2] | – |
| IGCC Project | Operating | coal: unknown | 346 | IGCC | – | 2016 | – |
| Unit 1 | Operating | coal: bituminous | 500 | supercritical | – | 1995 | 2025 (planned) |
| Unit 10 | Operating | coal: bituminous | 1050 | ultra-supercritical | – | 2017 | 2047 (planned) |
| Unit 2 | Operating | coal: bituminous | 500 | supercritical | – | 1996 | 2025 (planned) |
| Unit 3 | Operating | coal: bituminous | 500 | supercritical | – | 1997 | 2028 (planned) |
| Unit 4 | Operating | coal: bituminous | 500 | supercritical | – | 1997 | 2029 (planned) |
| Unit 5 | Operating | coal: bituminous | 500 | supercritical | – | 2001 | 2032 (planned) |
| Unit 6 | Operating | coal: bituminous | 500 | supercritical | – | 2002 | 2032 (planned) |
| 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) |
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 |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Korea Western Power Co Ltd [100%] | Korea Electric Power Corp [100.0%] |
| 2 | Korea Western Power Co Ltd [100%] | Korea Electric Power Corp [100.0%] |
| 3 | Korea Western Power Co Ltd [100%] | Korea Electric Power Corp [100.0%] |
| 4 | Korea Western Power Co Ltd [100%] | Korea Electric Power Corp [100.0%] |
| 5 | Korea Western Power Co Ltd [100%] | Korea Electric Power Corp [100.0%] |
| 6 | Korea Western Power Co Ltd [100%] | Korea Electric Power Corp [100.0%] |
| IGCC Project | Korea Western Power Co Ltd [100%] | Korea Electric Power Corp [100.0%] |
| Unit 1 | Korea Western Power Co Ltd [100%] | Korea Electric Power Corp [100.0%] |
| Unit 10 | Korea Western Power Co Ltd [100%] | Korea Electric Power Corp [100.0%] |
| Unit 2 | Korea Western Power Co Ltd [100%] | Korea Electric Power Corp [100.0%] |
| Unit 3 | Korea Western Power Co Ltd [100%] | Korea Electric Power Corp [100.0%] |
| Unit 4 | Korea Western Power Co Ltd [100%] | Korea Electric Power Corp [100.0%] |
| Unit 5 | Korea Western Power Co Ltd [100%] | Korea Electric Power Corp [100.0%] |
| Unit 6 | Korea Western Power Co Ltd [100%] | Korea Electric Power Corp [100.0%] |
| Unit 7 | Korea Western Power Co Ltd [100%] | Korea Electric Power Corp [100.0%] |
| Unit 8 | Korea Western Power Co Ltd [100%] | Korea Electric Power Corp [100.0%] |
| Unit 9 | Korea Western Power Co Ltd [100%] | Korea Electric Power Corp [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.[7][8] 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.[9] 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.[10]
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.[11][12]
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.[13] 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.[14]
In April 2023, it was reported that the Taean power plant was South Korea's largest emitter of greenhouse gasses in 2022.
Proposed ammonia co-firing
A KEPCO update in April 2024 indicated that the company would conduct a feasibility study for ammonia co-firing implementation at Units 9 and 10 at the Taean power station.[15] Units 9 and 10 were also included in a May 2024 study by Solutions for Our Climate (SFOC) and the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA) on the health hazards of co-firing ammonia at coal plants.[16]
In August 2024, SFOC released an analysis of the cost of introducing ammonia co-firing technology to Units 9 and 10; The report found that converting just the two units to co-fire ammonia would cost more than 1.7 times that of an early closure for all coal-fired units in the Chungnam Province.[17]
Coal Expansion
Units 9 and 10 of 1,050 MW each (2,100 MW total) were scheduled for completion in 2016.[18]
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,[19] and Unit 10 was completed in 2017.[20][21][22]
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).[23]
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.[24]
As of 2014, the project was under construction and slated for start-up in late 2015.[25][26]
The IGCC plant was being considered for retrofit with carbon capture and storage technology by 2020, known as Korea-CCS2.[27]
On August 19, 2016, KEPCO announced the IGCC plant had begun operation.[28]
In January 2023, an explosion occurred at the IGCC unit, which caused a fire that lasted several hours.[29]
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.[30][31] The site has been associated with various environmental act violations.[32]
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.[33]
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."[34]
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.[35]
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." [36]
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.[37] Reporting in August 2024 specified that Unit 1 was scheduled to close in June 2025, and Unit 2 in December 2025.[38]
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.[39][40] 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.[39] 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.[41]
Articles and Resources
References
- ↑ (PDF) https://web.archive.org/web/20210309184805/https://www.iere.jp/membersinformation/brochure/brochure_KOWEPO.pdf. Archived from the original (PDF) on 09 March 2021.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|archive-date=(help); Missing or empty|title=(help) - ↑ 2.00 2.01 2.02 2.03 2.04 2.05 2.06 2.07 2.08 2.09 2.10 2.11 2.12 2.13 2.14 2.15 2.16 2.17 2.18 2.19 2.20 2.21 (PDF) https://web.archive.org/web/20231118083456/https://www.kier.re.kr/resources/download/tpp/policy_230113_data.pdf. Archived from the original (PDF) on 18 November 2023.
{{cite web}}: Missing or empty|title=(help) - ↑ 3.0 3.1 https://web.archive.org/web/20240516233142/https://www.mk.co.kr/en/realestate/10961368. Archived from the original on 16 May 2024.
{{cite web}}: Missing or empty|title=(help) - ↑ https://web.archive.org/web/20240516233322/https://m.pulsenews.co.kr/view.php?year=2024&no=168699. Archived from the original on 16 May 2024.
{{cite web}}: Missing or empty|title=(help) - ↑ https://web.archive.org/web/20240516233113/https://ca.finance.yahoo.com/news/ge-support-major-south-korean-155759671.html. Archived from the original on 16 May 2024.
{{cite web}}: Missing or empty|title=(help) - ↑ 6.0 6.1 (PDF) https://web.archive.org/web/20211102192543/https://www.etrans.or.kr/lib/gen_download.php?file_name=%EC%A0%9C9%EC%B0%A8%EC%A0%84%EB%A0%A5%EC%88%98%EA%B8%89%EA%B8%B0%EB%B3%B8%EA%B3%84%ED%9A%8D.pdf. Archived from the original (PDF) on 02 November 2021.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|archive-date=(help); Missing or empty|title=(help) - ↑ “태안발전본부,” KOWEPO, accessed November 2021
- ↑ "Coal-fired Plants in South Korea," Power Plants Around the World, accessed January 2017
- ↑ "Taean power station," GEO, accessed August 2015
- ↑ "Hitachi wins order," Hitachi press release, February 28, 2012
- ↑ "S. Korea to shift toward renewable energy, natural gas," Yonhap News Agency, December 14, 2017
- ↑ "Ministry announces 8th Basic Plan for Electricity Supply and Demand," Korea Ministry of Trade, Industry, and Energy, December 14, 2017
- ↑ The 9th Basic Plan for Electricity Supply and Demand (2020 - 2034), South Korea Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, December 28, 2020
- ↑ 윤희신 충남도의원, 태안화력발전소 폐쇄 대책 마련 촉구, 뉴스티앤티, September 15, 2022
- ↑ Hydrogen and ammonia co-firing, KEPCO, April 2024, Accessed: May 28, 2024
- ↑ Threat of Toxic Substances; Increased Particulate Matter and Health Hazards from Ammonia Co-firing, Solutions for Our Climate (SFOC) and the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA), May 2024
- ↑ (보도자료) 암모니아 혼소 비용 처음 공개돼…문닫아야 할 석탄발전에 3조원 넘게 추가 부담한다, SFOC, August 6, 2024
- ↑ "Emerson awarded $11 million contract to automate two 1,050-megawatt ultra-supercritical units at South Korea power plant," Emerson News Release, November 13, 2013
- ↑ "국내 최대 석탄발전기 가동 초읽기," Naeil, October 27, 2016
- ↑ "건설中 원전·석탄발전, 차기 정권에서 운명은?," EBN, May 6, 2017
- ↑ "[논평노후 석탄발전소 가동중단에 따른 미세먼지 저감 효과,"] kfem.or.kr, July 25, 2017
- ↑ "Unit 10 of Taean Thermal Power Plant Starts Power Generation," Daelim, February 27, 2017
- ↑ "Financing Dirty Energy: How Korean Public Financial Institutions Support Coal Power". Solutions for Our Climate. January 2018.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ↑ “Power Generation,” KOWEPO, accessed November 2021
- ↑ "Gasification Users Association: Technology Status - December 2013," EPRI, February 27, 2014
- ↑ Jeff Phillips, "Update on Gasification Projects and Technology," EPRI, December 12, 2013
- ↑ "Korea-CCS 2," Global CCS Institute, July 14, 2014
- ↑ "Korea Western Power Begins Commercial Operation of Taean IGCC Power Plant," Business Korea, August 23, 2016
- ↑ "태안화력 폭발 화재, 1시간여 만에 불길 잡아…인명피해 없어," The Hankyoreh, January 8, 2023
- ↑ “태안화력, 석탄 폐기물 해상운송 용역 발주 논란,” ohmynews, November 3, 2021
- ↑ "한국서부발전, 석탄재 해상운송 용역 중단해야," ohmynews, November 5, 2021
- ↑ “충남 태안화력발전소 방류구 배관서 '기름 유출 흔적' 발견” newstnt, May 5, 2021
- ↑ “태안화력 단계적 폐쇄 수순...일자리가 사라진다” Taean News, May 13, 2022
- ↑ “기계에 끼어 사망한 24살 비정규직 노동자 4시간 방치” The Hankyoreh, December 11, 2018
- ↑ “‘김용균 사망’ 태안화력 임직원 집행유예… 서부발전 대표는 무죄” The Chosun Ilbo, February 10, 2022
- ↑ 태안화력 '김용균 사망 사건' 원청 전 대표 항소심도 무죄 Newspim, February 9, 2023
- ↑ "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
- ↑ 지역경제 버팀목 ‘석탄화력’ 문 닫으면 지방도 소멸…내년부터 시작, Electimes, August 30, 2024
- ↑ 39.0 39.1 태안화력 발전 노동자들 정의로운 전환 요구, Ertrsit, Aug. 2, 2023
- ↑ "태안 화력발전소 폐쇄 시 2천 명 실업, 대책 마련하라", OhMyNews, Aug. 2, 2023
- ↑ 가세로 태안군수 "석탄화력 폐쇄지역 대책 제시해야", GoodMorningCC, Nov. 8, 2023
Additional data
To access additional data, including interactive maps of the power stations, downloadable datasets, and summary data, please visit the Global Coal Plant Tracker and the Global Oil and Gas Plant Tracker on the Global Energy Monitor website.
