As with Ulsan Thermal Power Plant, where a collapse occurred during demolition work on the 6th, there are 51 thermal power plants slated for demolition, as confirmed on the 17th. In line with the government's carbon neutrality goal, closures of aging coal-fired power plants are scheduled one after another over the next 13 years.
However, Korea reportedly has no safety manual related to power plant demolition. The government only recently said it plans to create a manual. A safety expert advises that four issues in particular need to be discussed as priorities when preparing the manual.
◇ Samcheonpo, Pyeongtaek, and Boryeong plants halt operations and face demolition
The government's mid- to long-term energy plan, the 11th Basic Plan for Long-term Electricity Supply and Demand, includes a plan to abolish a total of 40 coal-fired power units by 2038. Adding nine units at the Samcheonpo (Goseong), Pyeongtaek, and Boryeong plants that have already been shut down and are awaiting demolition, and two units at the Honam (Yeosu) plant where demolition has begun but blasting has not yet been completed, the total number slated for demolition comes to 51.
Yet the need for a demolition manual for aging plants surfaced only after the Ulsan thermal plant collapse. Large-scale power plants proliferated in the 1970s, and demolition work only began in earnest in the 2010s, after their 30- to 40-year lifespans had passed.
By contrast, the United States, which experienced similar accidents earlier, has guidelines for power plant demolition work. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) created them in 2020 after a 14-story boiler building collapsed during pre-blast work at the aging Killen power plant in Ohio, killing or injuring workers.
◇ "Unlike new construction, there are many safety gaps during 'demolition' work"
Safety experts first see a need for a demolition manual for "structures." Choi Myeong-gi, a professor with the Korea Industrial Field Professors, said, "There are demolition guidelines for 'buildings,' but there are no separate guidelines that account for the characteristics of 'structures' like the boiler tower that collapsed during the Ulsan thermal plant work."
They also point out that more parties should draft demolition plans. A demolition plan is a document containing detailed information such as the project overview, sequence, structural safety review, and safety management measures. Professor Choi said, "Although experts such as architects and structural engineers prepare them, in practice one person often drafts them formally and reviews them alone," adding, "Multiple experts in structure, construction, and safety should participate."
The need was also raised to introduce "smart measuring tools" that can predict collapse risks during work. Professor Choi said, "At ordinary new construction sites, installing safety monitoring equipment using Internet of Things (IoT) technology to detect changes in tilt and load is almost mandatory, but that is not the case at demolition sites."
Safety training specialized for demolition is also required. Professor Choi said, "A demolition construction supervisor can only be deployed to the site after being trained, but demolition workers and managers do not receive separate training specialized for demolition," adding, "On-site workers should be required to complete safety training not only for collapses during demolition work but also to prepare for falls, strikes, and explosions."