Seoul: South Korea's average daily maximum power demand soared to unprecedented levels last month, as the nation faced one of its most severe summer heat waves since record-keeping began. The country's peak power demand in July averaged 85 gigawatts, marking a 5.6 percent increase compared to the same period last year, as reported by the Korea Power Exchange. This figure represents the highest July demand since the government started compiling such data in 1993. The previous monthly high was recorded in August 2024, at 87.8 GW.

According to Yonhap News Agency, the surge in power demand was primarily driven by increased electricity usage for air conditioning, as the heat wave continued throughout July. The state weather agency reported that the number of days with temperatures reaching 33 degrees Celsius or higher totaled 15 days last month, significantly exceeding the July average of 3.4 days observed over the past 53 years. Additionally, tropical nights, where nighttime temperatures remained above 25 degrees Celsius, persisted for 23 days in July, the longest stretch since 1973.

In response to this spike in power consumption, the government anticipates peak electricity demand to reach up to 97.8 GW during the second week of August. To address this, a power reserve of approximately 10 GW is being maintained. Officials have activated a comprehensive electricity supply control center, in collaboration with the state-run Korea Electric Power Corp. (KEPCO) and other related agencies, to manage the situation effectively.