KEPCO CEO faces allegations over Solasido substation speed and donations

Allegations have surfaced regarding the unusually rapid construction of the Solasido substation in Haenam, South Jeolla Province, by the Korea Electric Power Corporation (KEPCO). According to Representative Gu Ja-geun of the People Power Party, the time from the project's inclusion in the transmission and substation plan to its commencement was approximately 3 years and 2 months, significantly shorter than the 20-year average of 6 years for similar projects.

Concerns have been raised regarding potential preferential treatment, especially since the power demand for the area, driven by data center attraction, was only confirmed after the plan was reflected. KEPCO had previously applied for a prior consultation with the Board of Audit and Inspection in November 2024 due to these concerns.

Furthermore, Representative Gu pointed to records suggesting that KEPCO CEO Kim Dong-cheol received high-value political donations totaling 20 million won across four occasions (2011, 2016, 2017, and 2020) from an individual associated with the company executing the Solasido development project. Gu has called for a thorough investigation into whether private interests or external pressure influenced the accelerated construction process.