Power company is seeking to complete the localization of more than 250 tasks this year
President Kim Byung-sook of Korea Western Power (KOWEPO) makes an inspection tour to KEPCO KPS¡¯s plant in Seoincheon. The two companies agreed to cooperate in the localization of the latest high-temperature parts production and repair engineering technology at the Seoincheon Power Complex on Feb. 7. (Photo: KOWEPO)
Korea Western Power (KOWEPO) is intensifying efforts to localize raw materials, parts and equipment in the power generation sector in cooperation with SMEs by tearing down entry barriers to pave the way for localization.
KOWEPO¡¯s localization committee held a first meeting on Feb. 27 and finalized raw materials, parts and equipment candidates for localization for the first half of the year.
The committee is an organization designed to screen and finalize raw materials, parts and equipment localization candidates by scrutinizing their characteristics and features and taking into account outside technology levels and experts¡¯ views on how to localize them and timing of localizing.
The committee approved the localization of 184 raw materials, parts and equipment task entries in a wide range of areas, ranging from raw materials, parts and equipment of advanced technology levels, essential for improving the Korean technology standing to consumable parts.
KOWEPO carried out projects to localize 229 tasks last year, creating visible and invisible outcomes worth 11.95 billion won. The power company is seeking to complete the localization of more than 250 tasks this year.
Since he took office in March 2018, KOWEPO President Kim Byung-sook has been devoting himself to realizing technology self-reliance through the localization of power generation facilities.
To this end, KOWEPO introduced an exclusive body responsible for the creation of an environment of technology self-reliance through the localization of power generation facilities and accelerated localization based on a roadmap suitable for R&D.
KOWEPO became the first Korea power company to hold an open field explanation session during a planned maintenance period and introduce a test-bed regime to certify R&D prototype items. KOWEPO has played a part of pump priming for the creating the ecosystem for SMEs¡¯ R&D.
¡°KOWEPO will continue to explore Korean SMEs of advanced technology levels to localize raw materials, parts and equipment tasks, selected by the localization committee, and to this end, we plan to hold a field explanation session targeting SMEs on a regular basis,¡± a KOWEPO official said.
In a related dev elopement, KOWEPO has team up with KEPCO KPS to localize high-temperature parts production and repair engineering technology for gas turbines, which Korea currently imports.
With executives and experts from KOWEPO and KEPCO KPS in attendance, the two companies agreed to cooperate in the localization of the latest high-temperature parts production and repair engineering technology at the Seoincheon Power Complex on Feb. 7.
President Kim said at the event, ¡°Massive technology cooperation among power plant, maintenance and research institution circles that has never been attempted so far is expected to mark a watersheds of transforming the ecosystem of the Korean gas turbine repair engineering technology industry, which lags far behind advanced countries.¡±
KOWEPO has been collaborating with the Electric Power Research Institute of the United States and KEPCO Research Institute since two years to localize the market of latest high-temperature parts production and repair engineering technology whose value is estimated at about 35 billion won annually, a KOSWEPO official said.
The collaboration project is in a final stage said the official, adding that a test-bed project related to high-temperature parts production and repair engineering technologies will be implemented in the second half of this year.
KOWEPO Enforces Guideline on Preferential Treatment on Delayed Contracts with Cooperative Cos.
KOWEPO has enforced a guideline on preferential treatment on contracts with its cooperative companies to give a helping hand to the latter suffering from the protracted spread of COVID-19 and comply with the government¡¯s efforts to revitalize the national economy.
The step is designed to help ease the burden of damages related to the fulfillment of contracts, caused by its cooperative companies¡¯ disruption of work and difficulties in securing parts in the wake of the spread of COVID-19.
The guideline on preferential treatment on contracts takes effect on a temporary basis since Jan. 20 when the government raised virus prevention to a ¡°watch level¡± until it is returned to the first, ¡°concern level.¡±