Ministry of Climate, Energy and Environment reviews summer power readiness

The Ministry of Climate, Energy and Environment said it was reviewing summer power readiness, warning that persistent heat and tropical nights could push South Korea's peak demand beyond the record 97.1 gigawatts, set on Aug. 20, 2024.

Minister Kim Seong-hwan chaired a summer power-supply review meeting at the Korea Power Exchange headquarters. The ministry said the concurrent influence of the North Pacific and Tibetan high-pressure systems had brought nationwide heat waves and tropical nights. Demand is expected to start climbing in the second week of August as industrial operations recover after the summer holiday period.

Solar output could add to the pressure. "If a heat wave persists and cloud cover moves in as a typhoon approaches, reducing solar generation, peak demand could reach 98.8 gigawatts," the ministry's director general for electricity industry policy said.

Authorities said they had secured 107 gigawatts of supply capacity and 8.2 gigawatts of reserve power, while preparing about 8.8 gigawatts of additional reserve resources for unexpected equipment failures or a lengthy heat wave. The ministry said reserve power could be managed stably unless demand rose unexpectedly further or generating equipment suffered cascading failures. The period from June 29 through Sept. 18 was designated as the summer power-supply countermeasures period, during which power-related institutions will maintain an emergency response posture. They are inspecting vulnerable facilities for heat waves and heavy rain and operating an emergency recovery system to speed repairs if equipment fails.

"In this heat wave, we must closely analyze changes in weather and power demand, rather than relying on past experience alone, and be able to respond immediately even to situations outside the forecast range," Kim said. He also called for a further check that procedures for demand surges and generator failures work in the field. "A stable power supply can be sustained only when the safety of workers in the field is assured," Kim said, calling for fewer outdoor tasks, adequate rest and adjusted working hours during extreme heat.