Image for illustrative purposes

Korea Electric Power Corporation (KEPCO) plans to install 95 MW of solar generation capacity across approximately 500 substation sites nationwide by 2030, as part of South Korea’s broader renewable energy and public-sector decarbonisation strategy.

The utility said it will utilise idle land at substations, including residual parcels, landscaping areas, and unused construction plots, to develop distributed solar installations across its transmission network.

KEPCO intends to launch a 1 MW pilot project this year, with a phased expansion planned over the remainder of the decade. The company has established a dedicated task force to oversee implementation of the programme.

The initiative is linked to South Korea’s K-RE100 programme, which requires public institutions to increase renewable electricity usage to 60% by 2030 under national energy transition policies introduced earlier this year.

According to KEPCO, the project is intended to transform substations from traditional transmission assets into “renewable energy hubs”, while also improving utilisation of existing infrastructure and supporting national carbon neutrality objectives.

The company also stated that converting landscaped areas at substations into solar installations could provide additional operational benefits, including acting as physical barriers to help reduce wildfire spread risks in forested regions. KEPCO said it is working with the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport on related regulatory adjustments.

South Korea has continued to expand renewable energy deployment in recent years, adding more than 3.1 GW of solar capacity in 2024, according to KEPCO data.

The substation solar initiative reflects a broader trend among utilities globally to integrate renewable generation directly into grid infrastructure as electricity systems transition toward more decentralised and low-carbon energy models.

Source: pv-magazine.com