SEOUL, July 10 (Yonhap) — South Korea will likely see record-high electricity demand this summer as the heat wave is expected to continue into August, the industry ministry said Thursday.
Power authorities forecast the maximum electricity demand to reach 97.8 gigawatts (GW) this summer, which will mark a fresh high, according to the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy. To date, the highest power demand on record is 97.1 GW posted on Aug. 20, 2024.
On Tuesday, the country logged the second-highest power demand of 95.7 GW, as many regions saw highest-ever temperatures for July.
The temperature in Seoul soared to 37.7 C Tuesday, the highest temperature ever recorded in early July since record-keeping began in 1908, while the mercury climbed to above 40 C in the nearby cities of Gwangmyeong and Paju.
The ministry said the country’s average temperature for the first half of July is expected to hit an all-time high, noting that above-average temperatures will likely continue into August and September.
South Korea normally experiences higher temperatures in August than in July.
The ministry said it has secured additional power reserves of 8.7 GW on top of the pre-existing 8.8 GW reserve to respond to soaring electricity demand.
To alleviate the financial burden on people, the power authorities have eased the brackets of the progressive electricity rate system for July and August and have begun providing energy vouchers to low-income households, it added.
An electronic signboard in Seoul shows the temperature on July 9, 2025. (Yonhap)
nyway@yna.co.kr
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