Hwaseong, Ansan, and Siheung Cities Oppose 'Tando Lake Floating Solar Installation Project'

[Suwon Ilbo=Reporter Lee Su-won] Hwaseong City, Ansan City, and Siheung City proposed a joint petition on the 19th opposing the 'Tando Lake Floating Solar Installation Project' being pursued by the Korea Rural Community Corporation.

On this day, four organizations—Hwaseong City, Ansan City, Siheung City, and K-water—held the '10th Shihwa Lake Region Policy Coordination Meeting' at the Songsan Green City Observation Deck and exchanged opinions on measures for the preservation and development of Shihwa Lake.

The Shihwa Lake Region Policy Coordination Meeting is an administrative coordination body composed of three municipal governments (Hwaseong, Ansan, and Siheung) and K-water (Korea Water Resources Corporation) centered on Shihwa Lake, where development and preservation are taking place. The meeting was attended by Jung Myung-geun, Mayor of Hwaseong; Lee Min-geun, Mayor of Ansan; Lim Byung-taek, Mayor of Siheung; and Park Se-hun, Head of K-water Urban Division.

At this meeting, Mayor Jung Myung-geun pointed out that installing floating solar power generation facilities at Tando Lake, located in the Shihwa Lake region, would increase concerns about landscape damage and water quality (environmental) pollution. He emphasized that this could lead to undermining the global value of Shihwa Lake, including its ecological, cultural, and tourism resources.

Following the agenda discussion, Mayor Jung Myung-geun of Hwaseong, Mayor Lee Min-geun of Ansan, and Mayor Lim Byung-taek of Siheung signed the 'Joint Petition Against Tando Lake Floating Solar Installation' and united in their commitment to preserving the value of Shihwa Lake.

The coordination meeting plans to deliver the joint petition adopted on this day to the Korea Rural Community Corporation and request their cooperation.

Mayor Jung Myung-geun of Hwaseong stated, "The Tando Lake solar facility project could damage the surrounding landscape, cause water pollution, and obstruct the creation of a global marine tourism hub by linking Shihwa Lake and Songsan Green City, thereby undermining the preservation and development of Shihwa Lake. From the perspective of citizens who could lose much if the potential value of Shihwa Lake is damaged, we oppose this project."

Previously, Hwaseong City conveyed its opposition to the Tando Lake floating solar power generation project to Gyeonggi Province during a relay meeting held in May regarding Gyeonggi Province's plans for major SOC development in western Gyeonggi Province.