POSCO Energy, the energy affiliate of POSCO, completed construction on a 5-megawatt expansion to its solar power plant in Sinan County, South Jeolla Province, Tuesday.

The Sinan Solar Power Plant, now with a total capacity of 7 megawatts, was built on salt ponds that had been abandoned for years. It is expected to produce 9,300 megawatt-hours of electricity a year, which is enough to power 3,000 homes annually for the next 20 years, according to company officials. By 2014, the plant will reach a total capacity of 12 megawatts.

“We expect the worst power shortage this summer, so we look forward to contributing to improving the energy supply with our plant, and we will actively pursue overseas businesses with our know-how,” CEO Oh Chang-kwan said.

(injeongchoi@heraldcorp.com)