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Wed, May 31, 2023 | 03:52
Economy
Power supply market will open to private companies
한전 독점 전력시장, 민간 개방 확대된다
Posted : 2016-06-14 16:55
Updated : 2016-06-14 20:57
Yoon Ja-young
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Noh Hyeong-ouk, deputy finance minister for fiscal affairs at the Ministry of Strategy and Finance, speaks at a media briefing on the restructuring of state-run energy firms held at the Government Complex in Sejong, Monday./ Courtesy of Ministry of Strategy and Finance
Noh Hyeong-ouk, deputy finance minister for fiscal affairs at the Ministry of Strategy and Finance, speaks at a media briefing on the restructuring of state-run energy firms held at the Government Complex in Sejong, Monday.
/ Courtesy of Ministry of Strategy and Finance

State-run energy companies to sell overseas assets in rationalization


By Yoon Ja-young


The government will open the power supply market in phases to the private sector and allow the listing of power-generating subsidiaries of KEPCO and Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power on the bourse.

The Korea National Oil Corp. (KNOC) and Korea Gas Corp. (KOGAS) will sell off their overseas assets, while the Korea Resources Corp. (KORES) will withdraw from overseas resources development.

These come as part of a government-led plan to rationalize and reorganize its bloated state-run energy businesses, unveiled Tuesday.

According to the plan, five power-generating subsidiaries of KEPCO — Korea South-East Power, Korea Midland Power, Korea Western Power, Korea Southern Power, and Korea East-West Power — as well as Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power, KEPCO KDN and KOGAS Tech will be listed on the stock market.

However, the government will hold onto its management control of the energy companies.

"Even after listing, over 50 percent of the stake will be held by the government or public enterprises. It is different from privatization where managerial control is handed over," said Noh Hyeong-ouk, deputy finance minister for fiscal affairs, in a press briefing.

The government hopes that the businesses will be able to invest in new energy businesses with funding acquired through the IPOs, on top of paying off their debts and enhancing transparency.

Also included in the plan is opening up the electricity supply market, currently monopolized by KEPCO.

New energy businesses in the private sector, such as solar energy firms, will be able to directly sell their electricity to consumers. Currently, individuals or private firms can only sell their electricity to KEPCO.

Gas purchases and wholesales, which are currently monopolized by KOGAS, will also open to the private sector by 2025.

The plan also calls for restructuring of unprofitable sectors. Next year the Korea Coal Corporation will start decreasing production as well as slimming down its workforce. It also plans to raise the price of briquettes to decrease demand.

KNOC and KOGAS will sell most of their overseas assets while KORES will quit its overseas resources development operations step by step. The three companies became actively engaged in overseas resources development during the former President Lee Myung-bak administration, but a price plunge for global resources dealt them a blow. KNOC's debt ratio jumped to 453 percent last year from 64 percent in 2007, while KORES's debt ratio stands at a staggering 6,905 percent. According to the Board of Audit and Inspection, a total of 35.8 trillion won was invested in overseas resources development, with little gains so far. They both will be slashing jobs as well. KNOC will cut its workforce by 30 percent by 2020 while KORES will slash 118 jobs.

KEPCO, which has been seeking coal and uranium development overseas to secure resources for power generation, will withdraw from the projects. They will be handed over to its power-generating subsidiaries and Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power.

However, some show concern that Korea will lose its competitive edge in overseas resources development. "Now could be the right time for investment. Overseas resources development should be dealt with from a long-term perspective, putting the national interest ahead of all others," said Prof. Shin Hyun-don of Inha University at a forum.


한전 독점 전력시장, 민간 개방 확대된다

'전력판매 규제 완화…가스공사 가스도입·도매 시장도 민간 개방'

한국전력이 사실상 독점하던 전력판매 시장에 대한 민간 개방이 확대된다. 한국가스공사가 독점한 가스 도입 분야도 단계적으로 민간에 문을 연다.

유일호 경제부총리는 14일 '2016 공공기관장 워크숍'에서 이같은 내용의 '에너지·환경·교육 분야 기능 조정 방안'을 발표했다.

정부는 한전이 독점하고 있는 전력 소매 부문에 대한 규제를 완화하고 관련 시장을 민간에 더 개방하기로 했다. 이를 통해 공기업-민간 경쟁체제를 도입하고 다양한 사업모델을 창출할 수 있도록 지원한다는 방침이다.

현재 우리나라의 발전업체가 생산한 전력 대부분은 전력거래소에 거래되고 있다.

한전과 구역전기사업자(중·소 택지지구에 전기 공급)는 전력거래소에서 전력을 구입해 판매한다. 구역전기사업자의 비중이 매우 작아서 사실상 한전이 전력판매 시장을 독점하는 구도다.

지금도 전기사업법에 따라 민간 사업자가 전력판매 시장에 참여할 수 있다. 하지만 송배전망 설치, 한전과의 가격 경쟁, 승인 관련 규제 등 때문에 실제로 전력판매 시장에 뛰어든 사업자는 거의 없는 상황이다.

정부는 태양광, 에너지저장장치(ESS) 등 에너지신산업 사업자들이 소비자에게 직접 전력을 팔 수 있도록 지원 체계를 강화하고, 대규모로 전력을 사용하는 곳은 한전을 거치지 않고 전력거래소에서 직접 전력을 살 수 있는 제도를 추진할 계획이다.

이미 경제협력개발기구(OECD) 국가 대부분은 2000년대에 들어 전력판매 부문에 경쟁체제를 도입했다. 지난 2000년부터 2천㎾ 이상 대형 소비처를 시작으로 전력판매 부문을 개방한 일본은 지난 4월 모든 분야를 민간에 전면 개방했다.

정부는 소매 부문에 경쟁체제를 도입하면 원가절감 등 효율성이 높아지고 사회적 편익이 증대된다고 보고 있다. 민간사업자가 참여하면 소비자의 선택권도 확대되리라고 기대하고 있다.

다만 신규 민간 사업자가 뛰어들면 기존 전기요금 체제가 흔들릴 우려가 있다. 전력판매 시장을 민간에 개방한 선진국의 경우 전기요금이 올라가는 경우가 많았다.

이에 대해 채희봉 산업통상자원부 에너지자원실장은 '우리나라의 전기요금은 OECD와 비교하면 주택용은 60%, 산업용은 80% 수준으로 상당히 낮은 편'이라며 '이번 개편은 전기요금 인하가 목적이 아니라 에너지신산업 사업자들이 시장에 신속하게 진입할 수 있게 하는 데 초점을 맞췄다'고 설명했다.

가스공사가 94%를 독점하고 있는 가스 도입·도매 시장도 2025년부터 단계적으로 민간에 개방된다.

현재 가스공사가 독점한 부분을 제외한 6%는 GS에너지, 중부발전 등 발전·산업용 수요자가 자가소비용으로 직수입하고 있다.

채 실장은 '가스공사가 계약한 물량을 따져보면 2025년까지는 공급이 수요보다 많다'며 '그 이후 수급이 역전되기 때문에 신규 개방이 가능하다'고 설명했다.

화력발전 정비사업 시장을 과점하고 있는 한전KPS의 업무도 민간에 더 개방하고 원전 상세설계 업무에도 민간개방 확대를 추진한다.

전기안전공사가 맡은 전기용품 시험·인증 기능도 폐지하기로 했고 한전KDN은 전신주 관리 업무를 민간에 이양하기로 했다.

이에 대해 정기준 기재부 공공정책국장은 '전기용품 시험·인증의 경우 이미 자격이 있는 공립·민간 기관이 많다'며 '전신주 업무도 공공기관이 하기에 적절하지 않는 비핵심 분야를 민간에 넘길 것'이라고 밝혔다.

아울러 한전은 민간과 경쟁하고 있는 광통신망 구축 사업을 내년부터 중단한다. 정부는 지역난방공사의 자회사인 지역난방기술을 매각하고 광물자원공사와 지역난방공사가 출자한 9개 회사의 지분도 정리해나가기로 했다.

지역난방공사는 유상증자를 실시해 부채 상환 재원으로 활용하기로 했다. (연합뉴스)
Emailyjy@ktimes.com Article ListMore articles by this reporter
 
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