A Isolated LNG Power Plant and System of Neighboring Area Supporting
Authors:   Korean Public Land Law Association, Lee Heon-Seok 
Published: December 2022

LNG power generation is emerging as a new alternative. LNG power generation is said to have many environmental and economic advantages, with only 10% emission (emissions : urine output) and excellent efficiency such as facility management compared to thermal power generation such as coal. Accordingly, the government has also changed its policy stance in the direction of converting thermoelectric power plants into LNG power plants and has been providing various benefits to LNG power generation. For this reason, not only private enterprise operators but also public power generation companies are planning to change their facilities to LNG power plants or build new ones. Particularly noteworthy is that major companies, which have been consumers of electricity, are pushing for plans to build LNG power plants by themselves to produce and consume LNG power plants independently. Of course, since LNG power generation is environmentally and economically superior to existing thermal power generation, there is no need to oppose the expansion of LNG power plants. However, the reality is that they are not welcomed by the residents where the power plants are located. Nevertheless, many LNG power plants are already under construction across the country, and almost all of them are facing conflicts with residents. Therefore, in order for LNG power plants to become environmentally, socially, and economically useful and sustainable power generation facilities, legal and institutional measures should be prepared to correct the legislative deficiencies of the current ‘Act on Assistance to Electric Power Plants - Neighboring Areas’ to dispel residents' concerns and opposition. Therefore, legislative adjustments should be made, such as significantly improving the current ‘Act on Assistance to Electric Power Plants’. First of all, it should specify that LNG power plants are included in the current legislation, stipulate not only commercial power plants(utility generation power plants), but also isolated power plants(non-utility generation power plants), and clearly support corporate funding and obligations for their own isolated power plants. Second, it is to improve the unreasonable regulations of the existing Act on Assistance to Electric Power Plants. For example, the scope of the surrounding area should be set around the living area based on the distance from the existing power generation facilities, and sufficient compensation and support should be provided according to the degree of damage to residents. Third, the most important thing is to form an independent and a permanent scheme that jointly investigates and monitors environmental damage, which can be said to be the core of the conflict. This should be the cornerstone of a governance organization, including a producer utility generation(including private power plants), government, resident, representatives, and environmental experts. We hope to become a sustainable power plant that is welcomed by residents through the revision of the Act on Assistance to Electric Power Plants - Neighboring Areas.