South Korea presents grid plan to accommodate over 100 GW of renewables
- Honam grid management substation designation lifted as of October 1
- Transmission-level capacity for renewables to reach 171 GW in 2030
- New project connections to be supported from January 2027
What changed The plan increases renewable energy accommodation capacity in 2030 from 119 GW to 171 GW at the transmission level and from 84 GW to 110 GW at the distribution level.
SEJONG, Sept 29 — South Korea's Ministry of Climate, Energy and Environment (MCEE) said it presented a "Power Grid Innovation Plan" at a State Council meeting on September 29 to redesign the power grid system with the goal of deploying more than 100 GW of renewable energy by 2030.1,2
Renewable energy accommodation capacity in 2030 will increase by 52 GW, from 119 GW to 171 GW at the transmission level, and by 26 GW, from 84 GW to 110 GW at the distribution level, the ministry said.1,2
The designation of grid management substations in the Honam region will be lifted as of October 1, the ministry said.1,2 It said transmission and distribution grid bottlenecks in Honam had meant new projects would not be possible until after 2034.1,2
Honam transmission capacity is expected to increase from 37 GW to 64 GW by 2030, while distribution capacity will rise from 18 GW to 30 GW, according to the ministry.1,2
"This plan is about making the most efficient use of the power grid we have now, rather than waiting for new grid infrastructure to be built," Minister Kim Sungwhan said.1,2
The government and Korea Electric Power Corporation (KEPCO) will implement five key strategies and nine initiatives, the ministry said.1,2 These include non-firm access, which allows temporary output curtailment when solar power generation temporarily exceeds the grid's capacity, and installing energy storage systems at distribution networks and substations.1,2
Connection criteria will be revised to give renewable energy priority over fossil fuel generation, which the ministry said is expected to enable the nationwide grid to accommodate an additional 20 GW of renewable energy by 2030.1,2
The additional capacity will be allocated first to existing projects awaiting connection, which can apply for early connection starting October 1, the ministry said.1,2 New projects will be supported under the revised grid connection system beginning in January 2027, when grid connection rights will also be granted to projects selected through competitive bids.1,2
The government plans to lift the designation of grid management substations in the east coast region in the first half of 2027, the ministry said.1,2