South Korea is moving forward with plans for a major green hydrogen and hydrogen-fired power facility in the Saemangeum coastal development area.
The Saemangeum Development Authority (SDA) and Korea South-East Power (KOEN) have signed a memorandum of understanding to develop a project combining 1GW of solar generation, 320MW of electrolyser capacity and a 100MW hydrogen-fuelled power plant.
The project is expected to use renewable electricity from the region to produce green hydrogen, which would then support power generation through hydrogen-fired facilities.
SDA will be responsible for providing the project site and handling necessary permits and approvals. KOEN will lead efforts to attract project partners and develop the commercial and business models.
The two organisations expect key details, including the investment scale, project partners, business structure and development schedule, to be finalised in autumn 2026.
SDA said Saemangeum’s extensive renewable energy resources and established infrastructure make the area well suited to large-scale clean energy development.
Moon Seong-yo, head of SDA, described the initiative as a potential “new industrial model” and said the authority would support companies pursuing innovative energy projects in the region.
The development comes as South Korea expands its focus on hydrogen and hydrogen-derived fuels for electricity generation. The country recently launched a 1.43TWh power procurement tender, including 500GWh of clean power that can accommodate hydrogen-derived fuels.
Across Asia-Pacific, countries including Japan and Singapore are also developing hydrogen-ready power infrastructure as they seek to reduce emissions from conventional gas-fired generation.





