Chungcheongnam Province vies for integrated power company HQ amid regional competition

Chungcheongnam Province is making a strong bid to host the integrated headquarters of five state-run power companies, a move initiated by the government to consolidate these entities. The province is actively engaging with labor unions of Korea Midland Power, Korea Western Power, and Korea East-West Power, three companies with significant operations or headquarters within the region.

Midland Power's headquarters are in Boryeong, and Western Power's are in Taean, both within Chungcheongnam Province. East-West Power, though headquartered in Ulsan, operates most of its coal-fired power plants in Dangjin, also in the province. Securing the support of these unions could provide Chungcheongnam Province a significant advantage in the competitive bid.

The province plans to host a policy forum in the National Assembly to emphasize the necessity of locating the integrated headquarters in Chungcheongnam. Historically, the region has borne the brunt of air pollution and the impact of transmission lines due to its role in generating electricity for the Seoul metropolitan area since the industrialization era. With 28 out of 60 coal-fired power plants nationwide located in the province, losing the power companies' headquarters as coal power generation declines due to carbon neutrality goals could lead to substantial economic damage.

The competition is heating up, with other regions like Naju in Jeollanam Province, Jinju in Gyeongsangnam Province, and Busan also expressing interest. Naju benefits from a cluster of energy-related public institutions, while Jinju is home to Korea South-East Power's headquarters and has already formed a partnership with its labor union. Within Chungcheongnam itself, Boryeong and Taean are vying for the headquarters, and the Naepo New Town area, which has yet to attract any public institutions since its designation as a innovation city, is also being considered.

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Now is the time for Chungcheongnam Province to unite. We plan to work with the goal of attracting it to Chungcheongnam first, so we don't fight amongst ourselves.