The Ministry of Climate, Energy and Environment (MCEE, Minister Kim Sungwhan) announced that it would unveil its “Summer Electricity Supply and Demand Outlook and Countermeasures” at the “Electricity Supply and Demand Countermeasures Meeting” held on the morning of June 25 at Korea Midland Power’s Seoul Power Headquarters (located in Mapo-gu, Seoul). The MCEE also stated that Minister Kim Sungwhan would inspect the preparedness of power-related agencies for managing electricity supply and demand during the summer season. 

The power authorities project that if cloudy conditions persist during a prolonged heatwave, peak electricity demand could rise to as much as 98.8 GW. This would exceed the previous record peak demand of 97 GW set in 2024

Power supply capacity has been secured at 107 GW, an increase of 2 GW from the previous year. Even if peak electricity demand reaches 98.8 GW, the reserve capacity is expected to remain at 8.2 GW, allowing the power authorities to maintain stable electricity supply. 

The government has designated the period from June 29 to September 18 as the electricity supply and demand response period and plans to maintain an emergency response posture in coordination with power-related agencies. In addition, these agencies will strengthen facility management by inspecting vulnerable equipment before the onset of peak summer heat and replacing aging infrastructure. They have also secured an additional 8.8 GW of reserve resources to prepare for emergency situations, including unexpected power equipment failures caused by heavy rain or typhoons and record-breaking heatwaves.

At the meeting, Minister Kim Sungwhan will emphasize that “the government and power-related agencies will establish a comprehensive electricity supply and demand crisis response system to reliably support the public’s daily lives and the economic activities of businesses and industry.” He will also ask the heads of each agency to “pay close attention to ensuring that workers at power generation sites can work in a safe environment during the summer season.”

Immediately after the meeting, Minister Kim Sungwhan will visit the underground power generation facilities at Korea Midland Power’s Seoul Power Headquarters to inspect the operation of the power equipment. During the visit, he will review the flood and inundation prevention systems and examine the preparedness measures to ensure the stable operation of the facilities even in the event of disasters or emergencies.

Meanwhile, to help ease the financial burden on the public from increased electricity consumption during the summer, the power authorities plan to temporarily relax the progressive electricity tariff brackets* in July and August. In particular, for vulnerable households, the maximum monthly electricity bill discount during the summer will be increased to KRW 20,000. In addition, electricity service will continue to be provided throughout the summer period (July-September) even if electricity bills remain unpaid, ensuring that customers do not lose access to electricity.

* (Tier 1) 0-200kWh → 0-300kWh, (Tier 2) 200-400kWh → 300-450kWh

For further information, please contact the Public Relations Division. 

Contact person: Gina Lee, foreign media spokesperson

Phone: +82-44-201-6055

Email: gcjgina @gmail.com