WP Inaugurates Largest-Ever
Photovoltaic Power System

Will raise its capacity to 3MW by next year

Korean power companies continue to accomplish great feats in the development of the domestic electricity industry. Korea Western Power Company (WP) is the latest power company to add to the succession of triumphs - the inauguration of a photovoltaic power system with a capacity of 2MW, the largest ever.
According to WP officials, the Samryangjin Pumped Storage Power Plant in Milyang, South Gyeongsang Province, dedicated the 2MW-class photovoltaic power unit, the biggest one in Korea, on Nov. 6.
The photovoltaic power unit will be expanded to a 3MW-class one next year, rewriting the history of photovoltaic power systems.
The first phase of the project that began this past June cost WP 11 billion won. It involved the installation of 11,448 solar panels, each measuring 157 cm high and 80 cm wide, to produce 2,800 to 3,000 MWh of electricity annually.
Phase II will involve the installation of an additional 5,700 panels for the extra 1MW of capacity and will be dedicated next year.
The construction of the photovoltaic power unit is in line with an agreement reached between WP and the government in July 2005. To this end, WP became the first Korean power company to install and operate a photovoltaic power system at the Taean Thermal Power Plant.
Hyosung is responsible for the construction of the photovoltaic power unit under a turnkey contract ranging from design to purchase and construction. The photovoltaic power unit with higher efficiency than existing units is expected to rake in higher profits.
The annual electricity amount is equivalent to 2.5 billion won or 2,300 tons of carbon dioxide, allowing WP to make additional profits from trading its carbon rights in accordance with international pacts on climate change.
A WP official said, "WP take pains to work toward the development of not only photovoltaic power but also tidal power, coal-gas combined cycle power and wind power under its new and renewable energy projects."WP is putting more energy into achieving technological innovation by investing 228.3 billion won by next year, he said.
WP only Korean Power Co. to Get Top Ranking on Sustainability Report
Becomes one of 30 Korean companies given the highest ranking on the GRI's sustainability report
Korean Western Power Company (WP) registered its sustainability report with the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) of the United Nations.
This past September, WP published its sustainability report in order to foster global sustainability and the joint global trend of standardization.
WP prepared its sustainability report according to the GRI's guidelines. WP said its report got an A+ ranking from the Korean rating agency, the Korea Federation for Quality.
Currently, about 30 Korean companies have their sustainability reports registered with the GRI. Of the total, five companies have received the top-rated A+ ranking. WP is the only Korean power company given the highest ranking. nw

Son Dong-hee, president of Korea Western Power Company (WP) (right photo). The 2MW-class photovoltaic power unit dedicated at the Samryangjin Pumped Storage Power Plant in Milyang.