Coal power plant workers form renewable energy cooperative to secure jobs

In the face of government-led de-carbonization efforts, a group of non-regular workers from South Korea's coal-fired power plants have taken a proactive step towards securing their future. On July 3rd, they established the "Power Workers' Renewable Energy Cooperative" in Chungnam province, marking a significant move towards a "just transition" away from coal.

This initiative is driven by the impending closure of coal power plants, which threatens the livelihoods of many contract workers. Choi Seong-gyun, the cooperative's representative and a 30-year veteran of coal power operations, explained that without new job opportunities, these workers would be forced to leave their communities. The government plans to shut down 40 of the nation's 61 coal power plants by 2038, with a significant concentration in Chungnam province.

“

When the power plant closes, we non-regular workers have nowhere to go. If there are no jobs, we will eventually have to leave the region.

The impact of these closures disproportionately affects contract workers, who handle tasks like plant maintenance and coal transportation. While regular employees may have options for redeployment, contract workers lack clear alternatives. A special bill aimed at ensuring their employment was proposed last November but remains stalled in the National Assembly.

“

We couldn't tell people who were about to lose their jobs, 'Let's try an experiment.' We started after sufficient preparation and business feasibility review.

An Byeong-il, a director at the cooperative, emphasized that the initiative is not a mere experiment but a well-prepared venture with a focus on business viability. The cooperative's primary goal is to create stable jobs through solar power projects. Their initial plan involves installing a 200-kilowatt solar power plant on a 700-pyeong plot of idle land in Boryeong City, with further land acquisitions underway.

Around 150 non-regular workers from coal power plants in Boryeong, Taean, and Cheonan have pooled resources, contributing between 50,000 and several hundred thousand won each, totaling approximately 25 million won. Even a coal ash disposal company has pledged 3 million won in support. The cooperative's charter explicitly includes "just transition" as a founding objective and incorporates a "natural dividend" concept, allocating a portion of profits to environmental restoration, acknowledging the potential environmental impact of solar power itself.

“

We considered the fact that solar power generation can also affect the environment.