A “Resolution Urging Improvements to the Power Grid for the Stable Implementation of the ‘Sunlight Income Village Project,’” proposed by the Gangwon Special Self-Governing Provincial Assembly, was adopted on September 29 at the 6th Extraordinary Session of the 2026 Council of Chairpersons of Metropolitan and Provincial Assemblies of the Republic of Korea, held at the Gyeonggi Provincial Assembly. The resolution urges the government to expand the power grid and prioritize grid connection for resident-participatory renewable energy projects.
This extraordinary session marked the first official meeting attended by Park Gil-seon, Speaker of the Gangwon Provincial Council, following his election as Vice Chair for the Seoul Metropolitan Area for the first half of the 20th term of the Association of Speakers of Metropolitan and Provincial Councils. Kim Hee-soo, Speaker of the Gyeongbuk Provincial Assembly, was elected Senior Vice Chair of the Council; Cho Seong-chil, Speaker of the Daejeon City Council, was elected Vice Chair for the Chungcheong Region; Kim Hee-soo, Speaker of the Jeonbuk Provincial Assembly, was elected Vice Chair for the Honam and Jeju Regions; and Lee Young-hae, Speaker of the Ulsan City Council, was elected Vice Chair for the Yeongnam Region.
“Sunlight Income Villages” are resident-led renewable energy projects in which residents form cooperatives or similar organizations to install and operate solar power facilities on idle village land, with the revenue from power generation shared among residents and the village community. In the first round of applications in 2026, 129 villages nationwide applied, and 86 were selected; in the second round, 617 villages from 12 cities and provinces applied.
However, as the expansion of transmission, substation, and distribution grid infrastructure has failed to keep pace with the rapid increase in power generation facilities, there have been cases—particularly in rural, fishing, island, and mountainous areas—where grid connection has been restricted or significantly delayed. The petition pointed out that even if a village is selected as a “Sunlight Income Village,” if there is no capacity available in the local power grid, it may be unable to connect its power generation facilities to the grid or may find it difficult to predict when the project can begin. It also stated that residents’ opportunities to participate in the project and their revenue from power generation should not vary depending on local power grid conditions.
The petition emphasized that while the legal framework already exists to grant priority grid access to resident-participation-based renewable energy projects for public benefit—such as “Sunlight Income Villages”—it is now crucial to ensure that the system functions effectively on the ground.
Accordingly, the Council made three demands of the government: When formulating the 12th Long-Term Transmission and Substation Facilities Plan, prioritize the expansion of transmission and substation infrastructure in grid-vulnerable areas by reflecting regional grid conditions and renewable energy deployment demand; to promptly establish detailed criteria—including eligibility, standards, connection priority, and procedures—for resident-participation-based renewable energy projects; and to implement grid connection support measures, such as reinforcing distribution networks and integrating energy storage systems (ESS), to ensure projects do not stall while waiting for the power grid to be expanded.
Chairman Park Gil-seon stated, “The ‘Sunlight Income Village’ is a meaningful project that can promote the expansion of renewable energy while generating income for residents and revitalizing local communities,” adding, “We must not allow repeated delays in project implementation due to grid capacity shortages, even when residents’ willingness to participate and project conditions are sufficient.” He continued, “I hope that, with the adoption of this resolution, the priority connection system for resident-participation-based renewable energy projects will function effectively on the ground, and that the expansion of transmission, substation, and distribution networks in areas with vulnerable power grids will be pursued with a sense of urgency.”
During this extraordinary session, which was held over two days starting on September 29, a seminar on the enactment of the Local Council Act was held, along with a signing ceremony for a memorandum of understanding between the Council of City and Provincial Assembly Speakers and the Korean Association of Public Administration, and a performance urging the enactment of the Local Council Act.
