The district provides 50,000 won per household to energy-vulnerable residents, drawing on revenue from five 'Sunshine Sharing Power Plants' across Dobong-gu.
Dobong-gu in Seoul has used revenue from public solar power generation to ease the electricity bill burden on energy-vulnerable residents in the district.
The district provided 50,000 won ($36) per household in electricity bill support to 300 energy-vulnerable households, including basic livelihood recipients and near-poverty households.
Recipients were selected through recommendations from neighborhood community centers, with eligibility determined through a comprehensive review of income criteria and other factors. The first round of payments was made on Aug. 6, followed by a second round completed on Tuesday.
The project is funded by Dobong-gu's Climate Response Fund, which draws on electricity sales revenue from five "Sunshine Sharing Power Plants" installed on public sites such as parks across the district, as well as incentives for reducing power consumption at the district office.
Profits from eco-friendly energy production are channeled back to residents most vulnerable to the climate crisis, creating a virtuous energy cycle within the community.
The district has continued its energy welfare program for vulnerable households using the Climate Response Fund since 2019.
Beyond electricity bill support, the district is also running a range of energy welfare programs for low-income households, including free LED lighting replacements, energy vouchers, coal briquette coupons and gas safety valve installations.
"It is deeply meaningful that the revenue from public solar power generation is being returned to energy-vulnerable residents in our community," Dobong-gu District Mayor Kim Dong-wook said. "We will continue to expand energy welfare policies that provide real, practical help in daily life, so that extreme heat and cold do not translate into financial hardship for our residents."
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