Panoramic view of the wind power complex in Changpo-ri, Yeongdeok-eup, Yeongdeok-gun, Gyeongsangbuk-do. This place was popular on social media because it offers a view of wind turbines and the sea.
“I was only worried about the noise.
“It reminds me of the nightmare of last year’s large forest fire.”
Villages developing new wind farms are also ‘worried’
Many facilities have exceeded their design lifespan by 20 years.
Classified as a workpiece… Fire law does not apply
Local governments find it difficult to give up projects
“I thought it was just a lot of noise. Who would have thought it would collapse or catch fire?”
Kim Jeong-hoon (58), who runs a restaurant in Yeongdeok-eup, Yeongdeok-gun, Gyeongsangbuk-do, looked at the wind power generators lined up behind the village for a long time on the 26th.
At the foot of the mountain near Changpo-ri and Daeburi in Yeongdeok-gun, facing the East Sea, large wind power generators with a height of 80 m and a wingspan of 40 m are lined up. Each generator is rated at 1.6 MW (megawatts), and a total of 24 generators are installed in this area alone.
The wind turbine, which has been in operation for about 20 years, was a source of income that provided regular monthly dividends to residents. However, Mr. Kim said that the atmosphere in the village has changed significantly after a series of recent accidents. On the 2nd, a generator as tall as a 25-story apartment broke like a wooden chopstick and hit a nearby road. Residents were shocked when the black box video of the vehicle passing by at the time was released.
The fire that occurred on the 22nd, less than a month later, added to residents’ anxiety. In this accident, three workers working inside the generator died, and the fire spread to a nearby mountain. Although the fire department extinguished the main fire in five hours, residents recalled the nightmare of last year’s large forest fire. At that time, eight residents in Yeongdeok-gun died.
Mr. Kim said, “Yeongdeok is an area where strong sea breezes blow,” and “If a fire breaks out and spreads to the mountains, it cannot be controlled. This accident has made all residents more anxious.”
Gradually aging wind power plants and blind spots in the system without proper standards are raising concerns among residents. Wind power generators undergo regular inspections every three years. However, there are no separate inspection standards for equipment that has exceeded its design life.
According to the Ministry of Climate, Energy and Environment, there will be 22 wind power farms and 128 generators with a design life of over 20 years within the next five years. Including the 80 generators that have already been in operation for more than 20 years, the total number of wind power generators that will be obsolete after 5 years will reach 208. The wind power generator where the accident occurred was completed in 2005 and had exceeded its design life of 20 years.
Another problem is pointed out is that wind power generators are classified as structures rather than buildings, so they are not subject to firefighting laws. Since it is not subject to building laws that regulate construction and demolition, there is no basis for drawing up a decommissioning plan or having a resident supervisor. Resident Lee Jeong-hoon (in his 50s) said, “I don’t know what kind of regulations such a large generator is subject to after being installed,” and added, “Unlike when it was promoted as new and renewable energy, it doesn’t seem to be properly managed after installation.”
Concerns are growing even in villages where new wind farms are being built. The Yeongdeok Southern Wind Power Plant and Yeongdeok Namjeong Wind Power Plant projects are being promoted in the Yangseong-ri and Woncheok-ri areas of Namjeong-myeon.
Kim Eok-nam (58), who lives in Namjeong-myeon, said, “Most of the wind power farms being promoted in our village are only 1km away from private houses,” and added, “I have been opposed to them due to noise issues, but with this accident, safety concerns are growing.”
However, it is difficult for Yeongdeok-gun, with a population of 30,000 people, to give up renewable energy projects using wind resources.
According to the Korea Meteorological Administration’s National Institute of Meteorological Science, Yeongdeok has the highest level of wind power resources in the country, comparable to the mountainous region of northern Gangwon. The average annual wind speed is 6.7 m per second, similar to Daegwallyeong in northern Gangwon (7 m per second).
Experts said that for sustainable wind power generation, it is necessary to move from a supply-oriented policy to strengthening safety standards. Kim Min-soo, PhD in engineering at Pohang Techno Park, said, “There has been an aspect of relaxing regulations to increase the supply of renewable energy,” and added, “It is time to establish safety management standards for the expansion and sustainability of renewable energy.”
An official from Yeongdeok-gun said, “The Changpo-ri area is a place where many tourists visit because of its spectacular view of the open sea beyond the wind turbines. As this is a project that produces eco-friendly energy and is also linked to income for some residents, I hope that the safety management standards at the government level are strengthened before negative perceptions spread.”
Written and photographed by Reporter Kim Hyun-soo khs@kyunghyang.com