韩国政府拟减少新建输电塔并提高地下输电和居民补偿

As high-voltage transmission grid construction projects across the country face opposition from local residents, the government has unveiled measures to speed up construction while minimizing conflict. The plan calls for maximizing the use of existing routes to reduce new tower construction and prioritizing underground methods in densely populated areas. The government is also fleshing out a "grid income" scheme that pays certain returns to residents near transmission and substation facilities who invest in Korea Electric Power Corporation's (KEPCO) transmission grid projects.
The Ministry of Climate, Energy and Environment revealed the measures on the 5th at the Electric Power Infrastructure Center in Seoul's Yeongdeungpo District, during a third meeting with regional resident representatives who oppose power grid construction.
First, when a new two-circuit line must be built near an existing two-circuit line, the ministry will maximize the use of a construction method that expands the existing two-circuit line into a four-circuit line. Using this approach, the demand for new towers can be reduced from 4,723 towers along a 2,169-kilometer section to 2,509 towers along a 1,200-kilometer section (about 47%). This is expected to dramatically reduce the areas occupied by tower sites and overhead lines, helping to improve resident acceptance.
In cases where homes are densely clustered near transmission grids, the relevant notice will specify that underground methods be adopted as a priority. The underground method, which buries high-voltage lines in the ground, costs 10 times more to build than the tower-and-overhead-line method, but has the advantage of drawing less resident opposition since no facilities are exposed. Because these lines usually pass beneath national and public land such as roads and railways, land expropriation procedures can also proceed quickly.
The government will also increase transparency in the process of selecting sites for transmission and substation facilities. The approach involves holding project briefings for local residents from the early stages of the site selection committee process and, in principle, allowing residents to observe the committee. Meeting agendas and materials will all be disclosed. This reflects an awareness of criticism that the method for selecting the areas through which transmission and substation facilities pass had been a haphazard process involving only a handful of experts.
Compensation for residents will also be strengthened. First, the relevant enforcement decree will be revised so that subsidies paid to local governments along transmission and substation facility routes are used primarily for affected areas. The subsidy amounts to 2 billion won per kilometer of transmission grid. In addition, a grid income village project—which pays investment returns at a fixed interest rate of 8 to 10% to residents in areas surrounding transmission and substation facilities who invest in KEPCO's transmission grid projects—will be implemented in the first half of next year. The government plans to finalize these measures at a working-level committee on expanding the national backbone power grid, to be held soon.