발전시설과 온배수 관리를 위한 제도 개선에 관한 연구

Heated effluent is water that is released back into the natural environment in an increased water temperature than at the time of intake as it is used as a coolant for a heat engine. In the case of our power plants, if the heated water is released back into the ocean, the impact is having various effects on the marine ecosystem. But as the damage is not yet scientifically proven or not that serious, there has been no control on it at national level. It is because that we consider that the current regulation and management system applied to the operation of power plants can handle these problems, or that the effect of heated water on the marine environment is acceptable until now. However, the fact that the objective assessment on the effect of the heated water has not been made until now, that utilities are in charge of planning and controlling the water and that there is no system or policy measure to facilitate the utilities' efforts to reduce the amount of heated water, such as the installation of related reduction technologies, gives good reason for a closer review. Related environmental laws would be Marine Environment Management Act and Act on Conservation and Utilization of the Marine Environment. However, neither of them do not explicitly include the release of heated water in their scope. Public Waters Management and Reclamation Act does not stipulate that the release of heated water is subject to fee. Heated effluents are at a legal blind spot. In the case of marine environment, it is very difficult to verify damage, and various consideration can play a role. Therefore, a specific agency should be designated to control the heated water and an introduction of a system for Impact Assessment will have to be established. These institutional arrangements can be an incentive to reduce the amount of heated effluent to utilities and the systematic review is important to promote the conservation of marine ecosystem, the development of technologies such as mitigation facilities, and eco-friendly energy sources by securing financial resources from the introduction of charging system and regulation. Concerns that regulations on power plants, such as coal power facilities, could cause a rise in electricity prices, which could adversely affect the national economy and burden on consumers should be considered sufficiently. However, it is also crucial to achieve the national GHG reduction goal and to reduce the particular matter by encouraging renewable energy. The impact of power facilities on the ocean also needs to be reviewed and controlled, and serious damage.