On the 24th, the groundbreaking ceremony for the “Imha Dam’s Floating Photovoltaic Energy Cluster Project” was held at the Independence Movement Memorial Hall in Andong, attended by Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power Co., Ltd. (KHNP; President & CEO Joo-ho Whang) and Korea Water Resources Corporation (K-water, CEO Seog-dae Yun). Around 100 individuals attended the ceremony, including locals and notable members such as Sang-jo Yoon, Head of KHNP’s Green Energy Business Division, Seog-dae Yun, CEO of K-water and Gi-chang Kwon, Andong-si Mayor.
After starting construction in July, the floating photovoltaic power unit aims to achieve zero accidents and commercial development. Its capacity of 47 MW is the highest in Korea for a floating photovoltaic facility within a multipurpose dam. Solar panels will be installed on buoyant units above the water surface to generate electricity. Meanwhile, the power generation facility will be built to resemble the Korean flag and Mugunghwa, Korea’s national flower, to harmonize with the surroundings.
Andong-si participated as the execution organization, KHNP and K-water as co-developers, and Top Solar as the constructor. The project also entails a benefit-sharing model where residents can invest to earn profits. This design will allow around 4,500 locals within a 1 km radius of the floating photovoltaic plant to share the profit from its power supply.
In December 2021, Imha Dam’s floating photovoltaic power project was designated Korea’s first new renewable energy cluster. According to Article 27 of the Act on the Promotion of the Development, Use, and Diffusion of New and Renewable Energy, an “energy cluster” refers to a sector designated to build and operate an eco-friendly, new renewable power plant with a generation volume of at least 40 MW.
Sang-jo Yoon, Head of KHNP’s Green Energy Business Division, commented, “We expect the Imha Dam’s Floating Photovoltaic Power Project to play a crucial role in achieving Korea’s carbon neutrality.” He added, “We will cooperate closely with the national government, regional governments, K-water, and locals for the project’s success.”
