Residents of Hampyeong County are actively advocating for the designation of their area as a renewable energy production zone and the establishment of an RE100 national industrial complex.
The Hampyeong Renewable Energy Production Zone Community Committee, led by Chairman Oh Min-soo, held a press conference on October 27 at the Gwangju City Hall to urge the government and parliament to designate Hampyeong as a 'community-led national energy production leading area.'
During the press conference, committee members and residents rallied with slogans calling for the designation of '8GW renewable energy in Hampyeong' and 'RE100 national industrial complex,' demanding national policy support.
The committee aims to develop Hampyeong as a key energy supply hub for the Honam mega-project and proposes a new regional development model that returns the economic benefits of renewable energy production to the residents.
They specifically argue that issues of community acceptance and power system integration, often raised during the establishment of large-scale power facilities, should be managed comprehensively across the entire region rather than on a project-by-project basis.
To achieve this, the committee plans to establish a comprehensive plan linking power facilities, energy storage systems (ESS), transmission and transformation facilities, and industrial complexes, allowing residents to directly participate in power projects and share in the profits.
The core proposals put forth by the committee include: 1) Enactment of a special law for the designation of a renewable energy production zone; 2) Designation of a community-led decentralized energy specialized area and establishment of a long-term 8GW production base; 3) Attraction of an RE100 national industrial complex; 4) Promotion of AI-based smart agriculture, aquaculture, and bio-industry.
The committee plans to expand corporate investment and create youth jobs through the establishment of an 8GW renewable energy production base and the attraction of an RE100 national industrial complex, ensuring that the profits from power generation benefit the residents.
Chairman Oh Min-soo stated, "The energy needed by the nation should be produced in Hampyeong, and the results should return to the income of the residents," adding, "We will create a new model where the local economy and residents grow together while supporting the success of the national mega-projects."
He emphasized that the renewable energy production zone is not merely a project for establishing power facilities but an opportunity to transform Hampyeong's industrial structure and future, calling for active support from the government and parliament to enable residents to participate as stakeholders and share in the benefits.
The committee launched a community-wide signature campaign on October 22 and plans to hold a 'Hampyeong Great Transition Success Resolution Meeting' at the Hampyeong Sports Center on November 3.
They aim for over 90% participation from residents in the signature campaign by November 12 and plan to submit the results, along with a proposal for special law enactment and the basic outline for the national mega-project, to the Gwangju City Hall and the government and parliament on November 16.
Meanwhile, the demand for this special zone designation is based on the policy proposals suggested by the committee, and actual project implementation will require institutional support from the government, feasibility studies, securing power systems, and detailed assessments of environmental impacts and community acceptance.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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