economy

A vigorous drive is going on to increase power production by tapping renewable energy sources.

The Ministry of Electric Power Industry mapped out a plan for building solar power stations on a large scale and is implementing it scrupulously.

Drawing on the experience of having built a solar power station with a capacity of thousands of kilowatts in Kim Hyong Jik County of Ryanggang Province last year, the ministry built another one in Haeju City of South Hwanghae Province early this year.

Meanwhile, it selected the building lots for solar power stations that conform to the sunshine and systematic conditions in various regions of South Hwanghae Province and solved technical problems, including the installation of solar panels and transformer equipment and the composition of the power transmission and distribution network, on the spot.

Various regions, units and households across the country have also turned out in the work for actively utilizing natural energy sources.

The Samgwang Livestock Farm under the North Phyongan Provincial Rural Economy Committee, a model of modern farm village and modern livestock farming, built a solar power station with a large capacity. The South Phyongan Provincial Power Distribution Station, South Hamgyong Provincial Posts and Telecommunications Management Bureau, Pyongyang Dental Hygiene Supplies Factory, Kumsanpho Fish Pickling Factory and Neighbourhood Unit No. 62 of Jangchung-dong No. 1 in Songyo District, Pyongyang, and other units and neighbourhood units have set up their own solar power generation systems.

“The solar power station with a capacity of hundreds of kilowatts operated by our power distribution station has produced millions of kilowatt-hours of electricity over the past three years. This amount of electric energy is equal to thousands of tons of coal in value,” said Ro Myong Il, an official of the South Phyongan Provincial Power Distribution Station.

He noted that a solar power station, once built, can operate smoothly without much effort because it is almost free from the problems arising in the normal operation of hydro-power stations and thermal power stations, such as repair of hydraulic structures and generating equipment and supply of raw materials, adding that they are striving to make effective use of natural energies that protect the environment and the resources of the country.

Proactive efforts are being made in Pyongyang and other parts of the country to harness wind energy in cooperation with scientific research units.