S.Korea to cut coal's share of energy usage to under 20% by 2030

The draft of the Korean government's 10th Basic Plan for Electricity Supply and Demand contains a clause on reducing coal generation's share of nationwide energy usage to below 20% by 2030,

That rate is lower than the figure cited in a working-level plan released in August.

The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy said on Thursday the idea is to have nuclear power account for 32.4% of energy use by 2030, liquefied natural gas (LNG) take up 22.9%, renewable energies 21.6% and coal 19.7%. In addition, carbon-free resources like hydrogen and ammonia will comprise 2.1% and all other forms 1.3%.

The figure for nuclear energy is down fourth-tenths of a percentage point from the 32.8% cited in the working-level plan released on Aug. 30 and 1.5 points lower than 21.2% for coal. LNG and new renewable energy, at 20.9% and 21.5%, respectively, however, are forecast to have higher shares under the basic plan. In addition, total maximum power demand was higher in the basic plan than the working-level plan.

The draft plan forecast a peak electricity demand of 109.3 gigawatts in 2030 and 118 GW in 2036, with demand predicted to rise by an average of 1.5% annually from this year through 2036. The working-level plan set maximum demand at 109 GW in 2030 and 117.3 GW in 2036.

The revisions are seen as a response to growing energy demand through LNG and renewable power, whose facilities are relatively easy to expand.
On Nov. 28, the ministry will hold a public hearing on the basic plan, which is rolled out every two years, then report it to the Standing Committee of the National Assembly before gaining final approval.