[앵커]
The announcement of the fuel cost adjustment unit price, which is the basis for the increase in electricity rates in the second quarter, was suddenly delayed.
During his candidacy, President-elect Yoon Seok-yeol, who promised to abolish electricity rate hikes, seems to have put the brakes on it.
What is the plan to relieve the pressure to increase electricity prices due to the aftermath of the Ukraine war?
Reporter Kang Jeong-gyu pointed it out.
[기자]
▲ Restoring 90% of nuclear power plant utilization?
President-elect Yoon Seok-yeol’s promise to abolish electricity rate hikes was a criticism of the nuclear phase-out policy.
[윤석열 / 대통령 당선인 (지난 1월) : 졸속으로 밀어붙인 탈원전 정책으로 발생한 한국전력의 적자와 부채의 책임을 회피하고 전기료 인상의 짐을 고스란히 국민께 떠넘기는 무책임한 결정입니다.]
Inside and outside the transition committee, there is talk of a plan to bring the nuclear power plant utilization rate, which has fallen to around 70%, back to the 90% level under the Moon Jae-in administration.
‘Denuclearization of nuclear power plants’ is considered a solution to realizing the promise of freezing electricity rates.
To do this, the tightened safety standards must be relaxed first, but the time is too short to reverse the two planned rate increases in April and October of this year.
In the case of the resumption of construction of Shin-Hanul Units 3 and 4, it is a project that can be effective only in 2030, or the Da next government, at the earliest until operation.
▲ Press power generation cost?
As energy prices soared in the aftermath of the Ukraine war, the wholesale electricity price (SMP) exceeded 200 won per 1kWh.
The price of LNG power generation, which has the highest production cost, is the reference point, and power plants that use relatively cheap fuel will make a huge profit.
On the other hand, it is estimated that KEPCO’s deficit will snowball and reach up to 20 trillion won this year.
Accordingly, the government is reviewing measures to reduce KEPCO’s deficit by lowering the upper limit on wholesale electricity prices.
[정연제 / 에너지경제연구원 전력정책연구팀장 : 예를 들어서 이게(전력도매가격) 지금 200원대이기는 하지만, 만약에 상한을 180원으로 해놨다면 그 가격이 최고 가격 형태가 되는 거죠.]
▲ Order to reverse the electricity rate increase?
However, the decisive problem is that there are no administrative means to overturn the electricity rate increase plan.
First, there is a way for KEPCO to withdraw its plan to raise rates on its own through the board of directors. As a strictly listed company, the management may be held liable for breach of trust.
Although the Minister of Trade, Industry and Energy may order changes to the terms and conditions, this is also limited to cases where electricity providers have prohibited actions, so the choice is not likely to be easy.
This is Kang Jeong-gyu from YTN.
YTN Kang Jeong-gyu ([email protected])
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