The number of facilities lined up to connect to the power grid is rising fast. AI data centers and renewable energy are seeking connections at the same time. Yet laying new power lines takes up to 15 years, as has been pointed out. So reworking the connection queue and making fuller use of lines already in place are being discussed as answers to the bottleneck.
Expanding renewable energy requires transmission lines to follow. Right now those transmission lines are late.
The KEPCO Management Research Institute released data on global grid connection capacity in the queue and renewable energy curtailment rates in major countries from 2021 to 2024.
The government's Ministry of Climate has begun a public deliberation reexamining the role of nuclear power as an alternative to meet rising electricity demand. The plans related to the 12th Basic Plan for Electricity Supply and Demand were mentioned as well. Some countries have chosen to put large sums into the power grid.
Türkiye will invest 28 billion dollars in transmission lines by 2035. It is a place where generation capacity is growing mainly in renewable energy while the shape of electricity demand is also changing.
The customers buying power equipment have changed too. Data centers have been added to utilities and renewable energy developers. The related market will grow to 239 billion dollars, and one forecast put expected investment at about 1.4 trillion dollars over the five years through 2030.
That is the backdrop for the question of whether the order backlog at Korea's three power equipment makers will reach 50 trillion won. Forecasts citing investment figures cover different regions, periods and types of equipment, making them hard to read as a single number.
What to use as a generation source has long been debated. When and how to use transmission lines has not been debated as much. Whether nuclear or solar, without a path to send the electricity it cannot reach the places where power is used.
During a 15-year wait, drawing more capacity out of lines already in place is the realistic option. Changing the order of connections is also being discussed.
The nuclear power deliberation has only just begun. Whether transmission lines will be placed on the deliberation agenda as well is the remaining question.
