The Taean Coal-Fired Power Plant Unit 1 in South Chungcheong Province, which has produced enough electricity to power 900,000 households for a year, ceased operations after 30 years and 6 months. This marks the first coal power shutdown since the inauguration of the Lee Jae-myung administration.
While the government strengthens its decarbonization policy, residents of Taean demand countermeasures, warning, “Without alternative industries, the closure of the power plant will inevitably cause economic losses exceeding 10 trillion Korean won.” As the current administration plans to shut down all domestic coal power plants by 2040, conflicts with local communities over plant closures are expected to escalate.
