Korea checks power grid and heat protections

South Korean officials are preparing for possible record demand, checking the living environment of heat-vulnerable residents in jjokbang villages and urging postal carriers to use their right to suspend work during severe heat warnings.

The Ministry of Climate, Energy and Environment said demand could exceed Korea's 97.1-GW record, set in 2024, if heat and tropical nights persist. It prepared for a 98.8-GW peak with 107 GW of supply capacity.

Demand is expected to rise as industrial operations recover after summer vacation. The ministry's upper scenario assumes clouds from an approaching typhoon will reduce solar generation. Climate, Energy and Environment Minister Kim Sung-hwan said, "We must be able to respond immediately to situations outside the forecast range."

The second vice minister at the Ministry of Science and ICT joined postal carriers on deliveries and urged them to use their right to suspend work during severe heat warnings. Checks covered minimizing outdoor work from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m., water and cooling supplies, and emergency response for heat illness.

The Ministry of Employment and Labor requires a 20-minute break every two hours during extreme heat. Daejeon District Court sentenced a principal contractor's chief executive and safety-health managers in a heatstroke death case.

Deputy Prime Minister Koo Yun-cheol visited Changsin-dong's jjokbang village in Seoul. He checked communal air conditioners and mist cooling equipment and urged an elderly resident to use communal air conditioning and heat shelters during severe alerts. "Summer is hot for everyone, but it is harsher for vulnerable groups such as residents of tiny rooms," Koo said.