WSHPDR_2013_Final_Report-updated_version

3.2.4 Republic of Korea
Young Joon Kim, K-water Institute, Republic of Korea
Key facts
Population 48,860,500 1
Area 99,434 km 2
Climate Temperate climate. Distinct seasons,
with dry, cold continental air masses
during the winter, and humid, warm air
masses from the ocean during the
summer. Temperature varies widely
between summer and winter, and
there is great regional diversity.
Topography Mostly hills and mountains; wide
coastal plains in west and south
Rain
pattern
Average annual precipitation: 1,283
mm, of which 70 per cent falls during
the rainy season (June-September), and
about 18 per cent during the dry
season (October to March).
Electricity sector overview
Republic of Korea remains one of the top energy
importers in the world with an energy import
dependency at 97 per cent. 2 In the electricity sector,
most gross generation (93.4 per cent as of 2007)
comes from plants operated by utilities—over 95 per
cent of which are operated by the South Korea Electric
Power Corporation (KEPCO) and its subsidiaries. The
remaining 6.6 per cent of generation comes from
combined district heat and power plants (0.9 per cent)
and non-utility generation (5.7 per cent). The
electricity generation is dominated by fossil fuels,
followed by nuclear power (figure 1). 3
Hydropower 1.6%
Other 2.0%
Nuclear
31.1%
Thermal
65.3%
0% 20% 40% 60% 80%
Figure 1 Electricity generation in Republic of Korea
Source: Korean Electric Power Corporation 4
Note: Data from 2011.
Small hydropower sector overview and potential
Until 2005 the small hydropower classification was
based on an installed capacity of up to 10 MW.
However, through the enforcement of a regulation on
Development and Utilization of New and Renewable
Energy Supply (2007), the small hydropower definition
was unified based on water flow.
The total installed capacity of small hydropower in
Republic of Korea is 65.4 MW, developed at 51 sites
(figure 2). This is only 4.3 per cent of the 1,500 MW
that is as evaluated as potential of small hydropower
in Republic of Korea (table 1).
SHP installed capacity
SHP potential
65 MW
1500 MW
0 500 1000 1500 2000
Figure 2 Small hydropower capacities in the Republic
of Korea
Installed small hydropower in the Republic of Korea
Owner Locations Capacity
(kW)
Share
(%)
Private operators 16 28 609 43.8
K-water 16 15 434 23.6
Korea Electric Power
8 14 145 21.6
Corporation
Korea Rural Community
6 6 749 10.3
Corporation
Local governments 5 475 0.7
Total 51 65 412 100.0
The small hydropower potential of domestic rivers is
1,412 MW. Adding the small hydropower potential in
existing water-related facilities like sewage treatment
plants, water treatment systems, irrigation reservoirs,
multi-purpose dams and irrigation dams, the total
small hydropower potential could reach up to 1,500
MW. Annual power generation could reach 5,256
GWh (assuming a 40-per cent operation ratio).
Renewable energy policy
The Government of Republic of Korea enacted the
Alternative Energy Development Promotion Law and
started the commercialization and spread of solar and
waste energy after two oil crises with the aim to
diversify energy production and consumption.
Successive plans have increased the renewable energy
share targets. The third plan (2009-2030) has set the
renewable energy supply share to 6.1 per cent.
Barriers to small hydropower development
Limited economic feasibility of small hydropower
projects. The topography of the country does not
allow using high head turbines.
The local small hydropower industry has not yet
been fully developed.
References
1. Republic of Korea, Ministry of Land, Transport and
Maritime affairs (n.d.). Statistics Korea. Agricultural
Area Statistics, Statistical Yearbook of Land.
2. Energy Information Administration (2011). Country
Analysis Briefs: South Korea. Available from
www.eia.gov/cabs/South_Korea/Full.html. Accessed
December 2012.
3. Kim, H., Shun, E., Chung, W.J. (2011). Energy
demand and supply, energy policies and energy
security in the Republic of Korea. Energy Policy, 39 p,
6882–6897.
4. Korea Electric Power Corporation (2011).
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