South Korea lifted the designation restricting new renewable-energy connections at grid-management substations in Honam on October 1, even though no new transmission line or major substation was completed. Capacity freed by the change will first go to projects already waiting for connection, while applications from new projects are scheduled to open in January and some areas will expand access in stages as energy-storage systems and substation upgrades are completed.
The government says flexible connections could accommodate about 2.6 gigawatts of additional solar in Honam by adjusting output to actual grid conditions instead of reserving network capacity for peak generation throughout the year.