Expansion of power grid not progressing at all... AI-induced power shortages looming = South Korea

The Shinpyeongchang substation construction project, which will transmit electricity from the Gangneung power plant in Gangwon-do, South Korea, to areas with high demand such as the capital region and central inland areas, is
The project was originally scheduled to be completed in 2016, but construction has yet to even begin due to opposition from local residents. Last year, the government revised the target completion date to 2026, delaying the project by 10 years, but how much longer will it take?
It is difficult to complete the project until 2028 at the earliest. The spread of artificial intelligence (AI) has led to a rapid increase in electricity demand, making the development of the power grid essential.
On the 16th, Korea Electric Power Corporation tallied the progress of 31 major power grid construction projects it is carrying out, and found that construction has yet to start on 15 sites, including the Shin Pyeongchang substation.
The completion date for projects such as the East Coast-Metropolitan Area 2 Transmission Line, which was scheduled for completion in 2019, has been postponed to 2026.
The local government has not even given the green light due to concerns about public opposition. The New Jangseong, Sansongdo, Sinjeong-eup and Sinja-do, which were scheduled for completion this year, have been
Other substations, such as the New Changshui substation, are still in the design stage. With construction of planned substations stalled, some have warned that the national power grid is in danger.
The background to this is concern that even if new power plants are built, there is an overwhelming shortage of power grids to transport them, and that the government will not be able to keep up with the AI era.
Through this, it is predicted that electricity consumption (demand) in 2038 will reach 145.6 gigawatts (GW), approximately 1.5 times higher than today.
In February of this year, the special law for expanding the power grid was passed by the Diet, but there are delays in the construction of substations.
It is unclear whether the issue can be resolved. The law will put the government in charge of securing consent from residents and obtaining approval from local governments, instead of Korea Electric Power Corporation, which has been responsible for this.
This is because there is no guarantee that the opposition of residents will subside. Experts have been working on innovative support measures, such as expanding compensation to residents, strengthening communication, and relaxing regulations on permits and licenses, before the special law comes into force.
Professor Yoo Seung-hoon of the Seoul University of Science and Technology's Department of Energy Policy said, "The key is adequate compensation. Currently, the public sector is
"It would be difficult for Korea Electric Power, as a company, to pay more compensation than is regulated, but the process of formulating the enforcement decree should include deregulation and the establishment of provisions that would allow for exceptional compensation to be offered to local residents," he said.