Cultural facility project at Jungdae Mulbit Park to receive 2.2 billion won
Renewable energy projects, including solar income village program, to get 1.8 billion won
Gwangju announced Thursday that it has secured 4 billion won ($3.02 million) in Han River basin management funds after being selected for the "2027 Outstanding Resident Support Special Project" competition organized by the Han River Basin Management Committee.
The committee selects and funds medium- to long-term regional projects that minimize impacts on water quality and the environment, aiming to boost income, improve welfare and promote development for residents in source water management areas.
Starting in 2027, renewable energy has been added as a new category alongside the existing water quality improvement and regional development projects.
Gwangju was selected in both categories — water quality improvement and regional development, and renewable energy.
In the water quality improvement and regional development category, the city secured 2.2 billion won for a project to build a cultural facility at Jungdae Mulbit Park. The city plans to transform the park, currently a public rest area, into a mixed-use space combining cultural facilities and recreational amenities.
In the renewable energy category, the city secured 1.8 billion won to pursue three projects: establishing solar income villages, supporting household-level renewable energy installations, and installing heat pumps at shared village facilities.
Three villages — Geumsari, Jiwol 2-ri and Geoneopri — were selected for the solar income village program. Each village will receive full project funding to install solar power generation facilities at shared community facilities, with revenue to be used as resident income and a shared village fund.
A total of 109 households were selected for the household renewable energy support project. Each selected household will receive fund support covering 80 percent of project costs, with the remaining 20 percent self-funded, enabling installation of individual heat pumps and solar power systems.
The heat pump installation project for shared village facilities will be carried out in two villages — Geumsari and Sinwol 1-ri. Full project costs will be covered by the fund to improve energy efficiency at shared community facilities and lay the groundwork for energy self-sufficiency.
"Securing these funds will allow us to improve the welfare of residents who have long faced restrictions due to source water regulations, while also generating resident income through eco-friendly renewable energy and advancing carbon neutrality," Gwangju Mayor Park Gwan-yeol said.
pjh@heraldcorp.com
