- Emissions of Air Pollutants such as Dust and Nitrogen Oxides Remain High
- Power Plants Reaching the End of Their Design Lives Must Be Closed Without Extension
It has been revealed that the actual state of pollutant emissions from bio-heavy oil power plants in Jeju, which was highlighted by National Assembly Member Kim Han-kyu during last year’s parliamentary audit, has not improved at all. With Jeju being the only region in the country operating power plants fueled by bio-heavy oil, concerns over the infringement of the provincial residents’ right to health are mounting.
The Alliance for Resource & Climate Justice Center (hereafter ARC) verified the 2025 pollutant emissions of bio-heavy oil power plants in the Jeju region based on the data disclosed by Rep. Kim Han-kyu. The analysis demonstrated that the situation has not improved at all compared to 2024, as previously pointed out by the representative.
Currently, the public power generation companies operating bio-heavy oil power plants in Jeju are Korea Midland Power (KOMIPO) and Korea Southern Power (KOSPO). KOMIPO operates a total of four power generation units—Steam Power Units 2 and 3, and Internal Combustion Units 1 and 2—at its power plant site in Samyang-dong, Jeju-si. KOSPO operates a total of two units, Namjeju Steam Power Units 1 and 2, at its power plant site in Hwasun-ri, Andeok-myeon.
With the recent issue of gas power plants in Jeju violating air pollutant standards emerging as a major controversy, air pollution management for bio-heavy oil power plants, which constantly emit excessive pollutants, has become even more critical. However, demands made since last year—including the disclosure of bio-heavy oil’s raw material composition and blending details, fact-finding inspections to reduce air pollution, and health impact assessments for residents near the power plants—remain unaddressed.
Meanwhile, the design lives of three out of the six bio-heavy oil power generation units will expire within the next five years. There is absolutely no reason to continue operating thermal power plants that emit heavy air pollutants in Jeju. The government has already publicly committed to achieving RE100 by 2035, pledging to supply 2.5GW of renewable energy and 1GW of energy storage systems (ESS) by 2030. Under these circumstances, there is no justification for the continued operation of facilities that cause air pollution.
Therefore, the government must stipulate the “closure without life extension” for bio-heavy oil power plants reaching the end of their lifespans in the 12th Basic Plan for Electricity Supply and Demand. Furthermore, for bio-heavy oil power plants that still have remaining design lives, they should also be phased out without life extension, and early closure should be considered if necessary.
Director Kim Jungdo of the Alliance for Resource & Climate Justice Center emphasized, “Concerns regarding the air pollution caused by thermal power generation in Jeju have been deepening recently. Information regarding pollutant emissions must be transparently disclosed to residents, and health impact assessments must be conducted. Furthermore, closure without life extension must be firmly mandated in the Basic Plan for Electricity Supply and Demand.”
| Power Generation Company | Power Plant Name | Capacity(MW) | Completion Date | Fuel Conversion Date | Design Life (Remaining Life)As of June 2026 |
| Korea Southern Power (KOSPO) | Namjeju Steam Power #1 | 100 | 2006.09 | 2014.07 | 30 years (10years 3months) |
| Namjeju Steam Power #2 | 100 | 2007.03 | 2019.06 | 30 years (10years 9months) | |
| Korea Midland Power (KOMIPO) | Jeju Steam Power #2 | 75 | 2000.03 | 2019.05 | 30 years (3years 9months) |
| Jeju Steam Power #3 | 75 | 2000.12 | 2019.03 | 30 years (4years 6months) | |
| Jeju Internal Combustion #1 | 40 | 2005.06 | 2022.08 | 25 years (4years) | |
| Jeju Internal Combustion #2 | 40 | 2009.06 | 2024.05 | 25 years (8years) |
Table 1. Status of Bio-Heavy Oil Power Plants in Jeju, Source: Data disclosed by Rep. Kim Han-kyu(2026)
| Power Generation Company | Power Plant Name | Total Dust (2024) | Total Dust (2025) | SOx (2024) | SOx (2025) | NOx (2024) | NOx (2025) |
| Korea Midland Power (KOMIPO) | Jeju Steam Power #2 | 0.013 | 0.011 | 0.009 | 0.007 | 0.247 | 0.255 |
| Jeju Steam Power #3 | 0.014 | 0.012 | 0.005 | 0.003 | 0.26 | 0.206 | |
| Jeju Internal Combustion #1 | 0.082 | 0.051 | 0.112 | 0.109 | 2.873 | 1.858 | |
| Jeju Internal Combustion #2 | 0.065 | 0.065 | 0.019 | 0.048 | 1.895 | 2.022 | |
| Korea Southern Power (KOSPO) | Namjeju Steam Power #1 | 0.012 | 0.013 | 0.024 | 0.07 | 0.059 | 0.054 |
| Namjeju Steam Power #2 | 0.014 | 0.014 | 0.057 | 0.071 | 0.056 | 0.088 |
Table 2. Comparison of Air Pollutant Emissions from Bio-Heavy Oil Power Plants in Jeju (kg/MWh), Source: Data disclosed by Rep. Kim Han-kyu(2026)