The South Korean government has announced that the timeline for connecting over 10 gigawatts (GW) of offshore wind power in the Honam region, initially planned before 2030, will be postponed to around 2033. This adjustment aims to reallocate connection rights secured earlier than the actual project launch to renewable energy projects, such as solar power, that can enter the grid sooner. Public offshore wind projects will also be subject to these adjustments.
Lee Jae-sik, the Director of Power Grid Policy at the Ministry of Climate Energy and Environment, stated during a briefing on the 'Power Grid Innovation Plan' at the government complex in Sejong on September 29 that the connection timeline for the Honam offshore wind projects will be aligned with the actual entry dates.
The government estimates that only about 3GW of the offshore wind projects planned to utilize the Honam power grid before 2030 will realistically be able to enter the grid within that timeframe. If connection rights are retained despite delays in project implementation, other renewable energy projects, such as solar power, will be unable to connect to the grid even if capacity is available.
To address this, the government plans to reclaim the connection rights for delayed offshore wind projects and adjust the timeline for grid utilization to around 2033, when actual entry is expected. This approach will not involve canceling project rights or connection rights but will instead delay the connection timing to match the project schedules. The government anticipates that significant upgrades to the transmission network after 2030 will alleviate any issues for offshore wind projects.
The adjustment will apply to both private and public offshore wind projects. Regardless of the project entity, if the originally secured grid utilization timing does not align with the actual project schedule, the connection timing will be adjusted.
Previously, the government and Korea Electric Power Corporation (KEPCO) streamlined phantom projects, reclaiming about 9GW of connection rights, with 3GW prioritized for developers with realistic project prospects. Moving forward, the government plans to manage not only phantom projects but also those that have been delayed for an extended period, continuously reallocating the available capacity to subsequent developers.
Lee emphasized, "By reclaiming connection rights secured before 2030 and adjusting them to the actual entry point around 2033, we can allow other projects, such as solar power, to utilize the available grid capacity in the meantime. Public projects will also be allocated grid access in line with their actual entry timing."
* This article has been translated by AI.
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