IEEE Power & Energy Magazine - November/December 2014 - 64

50 100 150 200
Mtoe

and natural gas, are imported. The
energy situation, electric supply, and
economic condition of the country
therefore are all linked with the marPocheon
ket prices of imported resources.
11 Gyeonggi
Gangneung
1 Gangneung
Figure 1 is a map of major coalSeoul
1
Gangneung
Jeongseo
fields
in South Korea. As shown in
2
Jeongseon 2
Incheon
the
figure,
the nation's coal reserves
Jeongseon Samcheok
3 Samcheok
Suwon
Samcheok
Yeongwol
4
are
widely
distributed. Because do4 Yeongwol
3 13
Danyang Bukpyeong
mestic
coal
is available, coal was the
5 Danyang
5
most
important
fuel in the country
Danyang
6 Mungyeong
6
until
1970.
Despite
its low quality
8
Mungyeong
7 Boeun
Chungnam
(yielding
only
3,000-4,500
kcal/kg),
7 Boeun
8 Chungnam
domestic
coal
was
used
as
a home
Gyeongju
Gunsan
12
9 Jeonbuk
heating
fuel
in
winter
and
in
electric
Gimcheon Daegu
Pohang
Jeonju 9 Jeonbuk
10 Honam
power plants until the 1980s. After
the domestic peak coal demand of
11 Gyeonggi
Ulsan
26.9 million tons occurred in 1986,
12 Gyeongju
Gwangju
Masan
domestic coal production decreased
10
13 Bukpyeong
Honam
Busan
rapidly, and most domestic coal
Mokpo
mines were closed because of their
Yeosu
relatively expensive production
costs. Coal-fired power plants then
started importing high-quality coal
Tertiary Rock
Jurassic Rock
Permian Rock
instead of using domestic coal. Total
coal consumption still increased
while the domestic coal configure 1. The major South Korean coalfields, which are among the country's main
sumption decreased in the country
energy production resources.
after 1986.
Total energy consumption in
South Korea over the last 50 years has continued to grow,
as shown in Figure 2. To keep up with this growing energy
2009: Total Energy Consumed Increased by 0.5%
demand, the country imported oil and liquefied natural
gas (LNG). In 2010, South Korea was the fifth-largest net
importer of oil in the world and was a significant importer of
LNG. Although oil consumption has been gradually declining in recent years, the majority of the energy consumption
in South Korea uses oil as a fuel.
1970

1980

1990

2000

South Korea: Consumption

1970

0 20 40 60 80 100

Hydro
Gas
Oil
Coal
Nuclear

1960

1980

1990
Year
Data: BP Statistical Review 2010
Graphic: mamzamascience.com

2000

The Oil Crises: Lessons Learned

2010

Million Tons Oil Equiv. per Year

1960

figure 2. Energy consumption in South Korea, 1960-2010
(source: Apollo Investment Management).
64

ieee power & energy magazine

The oil crises of the 1970s (those of 1973 and 1978)
prompted South Korea to implement a national energy mix
strategy and policy emphasizing diversity in the kinds and
supply of energy resources. After the 1973 crisis, this strategy led to the construction of new nuclear power plants,
LNG thermal power plants, and coal power plants. The
national policy continues to be an effective strategy for
sustaining energy flexibility.
The energy balance and flow in South Korea for 2012
are shown in Figure 3. Most of the LNG was imported from
Indonesia, Oman, and Qatar. LNG contributed 18% of the
total primary energy consumed in South Korea, a figure in
excess of the nuclear contribution of 11.38%. The transportation sector consumes about 18% of the nation's total final
energy, and the industrial sector consumes 62%. The two
november/december 2014

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Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of IEEE Power & Energy Magazine - November/December 2014