Solar power facilities, Paju's first public renewable energy power plant, is seen in a photo provided Aug. 13.PAJU CITY
Paju, Gyeonggi, launched the country's first model that directly supplies renewable energy generated on public land to local small- and medium-sized enterprises.
A completion ceremony for the city's first public renewable energy power plant took place at the Munsan Water Treatment Plant in Paju on Wednesday.
The first power plant is a solar power facility with an installed capacity of 1,148 kilowatts. The electricity it generates will be supplied to seven small- and medium-sized enterprises in Paju through a direct power purchase agreement.
The recipients are Samsung Special Brake, Sunil Safe, SpacTalk, Shindo Industrial, C&C, Hanul Pharmaceutical and Hyunjin.
Unlike the conventional approach of selling electricity generated by energy facilities to Korea Electric Power Corporation, Paju will directly supply the power to local companies. This allows companies to count the electricity toward their renewable energy use. Paju Urban Corporation will operate the power plant and supply electricity to local companies.
The supply price is 130 won (9 cents) per kilowatt, among the lowest rates under direct power purchase agreements in Korea. A proposal to lower the price of solar-generated electricity to 150 won or less per kilowatt was presented by the Ministry of Climate, Energy and Environment during a presidential briefing on Aug. 4.
Officials pose for a photo marking the completion of Paju’s first public renewable energy power plant in Paju, Gyeonggi, on Aug. 12.PAJU CITY
Paju will also fix the price for 30 years to reduce participating companies' electricity costs and exposure to price fluctuations while allowing them to respond reliably to renewable energy requirements from overseas clients.
The city said it was able to lower the price of solar-generated electricity by using state and publicly owned land to reduce uncertainty over securing sites. It also cut structural costs by directly handling public complaints and administrative procedures.
"This first public renewable energy power plant marks the beginning of efforts to use locally generated electricity to enhance the competitiveness of local businesses," said Paju Mayor Son Bae-chan. "We will support local companies in meeting their RE100 commitments and overcoming trade barriers while expanding a public renewable energy system that benefits businesses and residents."
Paju plans to actively identify underused public land, including roadside slopes and bicycle paths, to sequentially build three more public renewable energy power plants and expand support for local companies that need renewable energy.
BY JEON ICK-JIN [lee.taehee2@joongang.co.kr]
This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
