KEPCO Invests 26.5 Billion Won in Wildfire Damage Restoration

[Financial News] Korea Electric Power Corporation (KEPCO) announced on the 29th that it will invest a total of 26.5 billion won (22.3 billion won for facility damage restoration, 4.2 billion won for supporting affected residents) to restore damage from the large-scale wildfire that occurred in the Yeongnam region last March and will completely reorganize its disaster response system to minimize power facility damage caused by large wildfires. KEPCO set up an emergency response situation room at its headquarters and business offices from the early stages of the wildfire and deployed over 2,700 emergency personnel to operate a real-time emergency response system. In the wildfire-affected areas, more than 3,100 employees from nearby business offices and partner companies were mobilized for restoration efforts, making every effort to ensure rapid power supply.
The special inspection of power facilities in the wildfire-affected areas confirmed a total of 10,188 cases of damage, and KEPCO allocated a budget of 22.3 billion won for swift restoration. Additionally, emergency restoration of distribution lines for blackout customers and restoration of temporary housing facilities for affected residents were carried out to normalize power supply early and minimize inconvenience to residents.
For residents in eight regions, including Hadong, Andong, and Yeongyang, designated as special disaster areas, policy support totaling 4.2 billion won was implemented, including a one-month electricity bill reduction for wildfire-damaged buildings (1.4 billion won), up to six months of electricity bill reduction for evacuation facilities (1.1 billion won), exemption of electricity supply facility charges for temporary buildings and newly constructed buildings replacing destroyed or damaged ones (1.4 billion won), and donation of relief funds to affected residents (300 million won).
KEPCO plans to completely overhaul its power facility restoration and disaster response system to address the limitations identified in the equipment management system during the wildfire response process. It will establish and implement 50 key measures in five areas, including strengthening external cooperation, improving systems and standards, reinforcing facilities, optimizing system operations, and developing equipment.
Key measures include incorporating transmission line-dense sections into the wildfire safety space creation project* in consultation with the Korea Forest Service and regularizing the removal of hazardous trees around distribution lines. Measures such as strengthening the integrated monitoring system of substation CCTV, replacing non-combustible materials on building exteriors and fences, and expanding the stockpile of fire retardants have also been prepared.
President Kim Dong-chul stated, "KEPCO will spare no administrative and policy support until the affected residents fully return to their daily lives," adding, "We will make every effort in facility investment and system improvement to ensure there is no inconvenience to the public even during large-scale disasters by fundamentally improving the system rather than simply restoring facilities."



leeyb@fnnews.com Lee Yubum Reporter