Viable solutions needed to tackle fine-dust problem
President Moon Jae-in has ordered a temporary shutdown of old coal-fired power plants as an emergency measure to mitigate air pollution.
For a month in June, eight of 10 power plants that are over 30 years old will stop operations. From next year, the 10 aged coal plants will be shuttered from March to June when electricity demand is relatively low. The new government also plans to close them permanently during Moon's presidency that ends in May 2022.
Korea is now operating 59 coal-fired power plants that supply about 40 percent of its total power generation. Because the 10 old plants account for only 3.1 percent of the country's total power capacity, the temporary shutdown will cause no problem in next month's power supply.
Closing the eight plants in June will trigger a fall of only 1 to 2 percent in the generation of fine dust. But Moon's order carries great significance in that it reflects his strong determination to come up with fundamental solutions to the deteriorating air quality problem. The measure is meager but welcomed as a pre-emptive policy the government can order to ease the people's lingering concern about air pollution.
During his election campaign, the new head of state vowed to cut fine dust emissions by 30 percent. To attain the goal, he proposed halting the construction of coal-fired power plants that are less than 10 percent completed and reducing the number of old diesel vehicles.
But the temporary shutdown is only certainly a stopgap measure when it comes to combating the incidence of fine-dust pollution. Given that the reasons for fine dust are complicated, it is all but impossible to expect the pollution problem to be resolved with such makeshift measures.
The temporary closure of the 10 aged plants will cause electricity bills to go up by 60 billion won a year. The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy says the state-run Korea Electric Power Corp. will cover that cost. But given that President Moon also vowed to suspend nuclear power plants that are in the early stages of construction, electricity bills will go up further because of the use of costlier energy sources such as liquefied natural gas. There must be a social consensus concerning who will bear the cost.
Hopefully, the shutdown of coal-fired power plants will be the first step toward streamlining the country's energy policy in such a direction as to increase the share of renewable energy.
Moon instructed his senior secretary for social affairs to create a government body dedicated to tackling the fine-dust problem. Considering the public's fear about air pollution, it is imperative that the government join forces with politicians, experts and citizens to map out a comprehensive package of measures to improve air quality.
President Moon Jae-in has ordered a temporary shutdown of old coal-fired power plants as an emergency measure to mitigate air pollution.
For a month in June, eight of 10 power plants that are over 30 years old will stop operations. From next year, the 10 aged coal plants will be shuttered from March to June when electricity demand is relatively low. The new government also plans to close them permanently during Moon's presidency that ends in May 2022.
Korea is now operating 59 coal-fired power plants that supply about 40 percent of its total power generation. Because the 10 old plants account for only 3.1 percent of the country's total power capacity, the temporary shutdown will cause no problem in next month's power supply.
Closing the eight plants in June will trigger a fall of only 1 to 2 percent in the generation of fine dust. But Moon's order carries great significance in that it reflects his strong determination to come up with fundamental solutions to the deteriorating air quality problem. The measure is meager but welcomed as a pre-emptive policy the government can order to ease the people's lingering concern about air pollution.
During his election campaign, the new head of state vowed to cut fine dust emissions by 30 percent. To attain the goal, he proposed halting the construction of coal-fired power plants that are less than 10 percent completed and reducing the number of old diesel vehicles.
But the temporary shutdown is only certainly a stopgap measure when it comes to combating the incidence of fine-dust pollution. Given that the reasons for fine dust are complicated, it is all but impossible to expect the pollution problem to be resolved with such makeshift measures.
The temporary closure of the 10 aged plants will cause electricity bills to go up by 60 billion won a year. The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy says the state-run Korea Electric Power Corp. will cover that cost. But given that President Moon also vowed to suspend nuclear power plants that are in the early stages of construction, electricity bills will go up further because of the use of costlier energy sources such as liquefied natural gas. There must be a social consensus concerning who will bear the cost.
Hopefully, the shutdown of coal-fired power plants will be the first step toward streamlining the country's energy policy in such a direction as to increase the share of renewable energy.
Moon instructed his senior secretary for social affairs to create a government body dedicated to tackling the fine-dust problem. Considering the public's fear about air pollution, it is imperative that the government join forces with politicians, experts and citizens to map out a comprehensive package of measures to improve air quality.
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