KOSEP Goes More
Environment-Friendly

Its two divisions snatch the coveted prizes

Korea South-East Power Co. (KOSEP) has proved itself to be an environmentally friendly power generation company, as its two divisions have grabbed the Kyunghyang Electricity/Energy Grand Prize.
KOSEP's Youngdong Thermal Power Plant Division was presented with the presidential award of the 12th Kyunghyang Electricity/Energy Grand Prize in recognition of cutting down on costs by substituting bituminous coal for heavy oil to prepare itself for an era of oil price hikes.
Gangneung-based Youngdong Thermal Power Plant Division received the coveted award during an award-presenting ceremony at the auditorium of Korea Electric Power Corp. (KEPCO) on Nov. 8. The Kyunghyang Electricity/Energy Grand Prize, organized by KEPCO and the vernacular daily Kyunghyang Daily and sponsored by the Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Energy, has been recognized as one of the most prestigious awards to be presented to companies which contribute to the development of the energy industry and use of environmentally-friendly energy.
The division was praised for saving 18 billion won annually by changing heavy oil as its auxiliary fuel for generating power into bituminous coal and reducing the required electricity by more than 2 percent by replacing the oil high-voltage blower into the one with the high-efficiency inverter, one of semiconductor applications. Last January, the division changed the damper-type wind controller in the boiler ventilation systems into a frequency-type one to save 5.8 billion won per annum. The division has succeeded in removing clinker, a remnant produced in the course of burning coal, which posed a stumbling block in improving fuel efficiency by introducing an water jet equipment, which has spill-over effects over the domestic steel and cement companies.
The division has been recently designed as an environmentally-friendly work site by the Ministry of Environment as it had installed a desulfurization facility for the first time in Korea in the mid-1990s to cut down on sulfur oxides and took steps to reduce dust by expanding electric dust collectors. In particular, the division has introduced a wide range of environmentally-friendly equipment to recycle coal ashes and waste water, the by-products stemming from burning bituminous coal, while having played leading roles in ensuring environmental management by acquiring the environment management system ISO14001 certification.
The Youngdong Thermal Power Plant Division has been operated without an accident for the five consecutive year. All staff members of the division has made strenuous efforts to make their work site an exemplary one with a spirit of challenge, creativity and passion by overcoming their weak point ― much of the equipment in outdated modes.
The Bundang Multi-Power Plant Division also received the Minister of Commerce, Industry and Energy Award of the 12th Kyunghyang Electricity/Energy Grand Prize.
The division was praised for making a feat of saving 55.8 billion won in energy costs by pushing ahead with five core projects, designed to preserve energy and save energy for the past three years. In particular, the division earned a reputation for recycling the heat energy of the heat exchanger dissipated into the air, introducing new technologies, including solar energy collection equipment, and working on fuel cell power generation and improving the efficiency of power generation facilities. Recycling of the heat energy of the heat exchanger saves 13.8 billion won in energy costs. The division plans to save an additional 10.2 billion won by developing a technology designed to recycle the chimney heat, which has been abandoned due to lower energy efficiency. nw

(from left) KOSEP CEO Park Hee-gap. KOSEP's Youngdong Thermal Power Plant Division and Bundang Multi-Power Plant Division have won the Presidential and Minister of Commerce, Industry and Energy Awards of the Kyunghyang Electricity/Energy Grand Prize, respectively, in recognition for going environmentally-friendly.