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Daily maximum power demand hits record high in July amid extreme heat wave

Published: 03 Aug. 2025, 13:03 Updated: 03 Aug. 2025, 16:32

With a heat wave advisory in effect, a fountain operates in Jeonju, North Jeolla, on July 25. [YONHAP]

Korea's average daily maximum power demand hit a record high last month as the country endured one of the most severe summer heat waves on record, data showed Sunday.

The country's peak power demand in July averaged 85 gigawatts, up 5.6 percent from a year earlier, according to the Korea Power Exchange.

The reading marked the highest level for any July since 1993, when the government began compiling relevant data. The monthly high was recorded in August 2024, when the figure came to 87.8 gigawatts.

The record in July was driven by increased electricity consumption for air conditioning as the heat wave persisted throughout the month.

According to the state weather agency, the number of days with daily high temperatures reaching 33 degrees Celsius (91 degrees Fahrenheit) or higher totaled 15 days last month, more than four times the July average of 3.4 days in the past 53 years since record-keeping began in 1973.

Tropical nights, where nighttime temperatures stayed above 25 degrees Celsius, persisted for a total of 23 days in July, the longest stretch since 1973.

The government expects peak electricity demand this summer to reach up to 97.8 gigawatts in the second week of August and is maintaining a power reserve of around 10 gigawatts.

The government is operating a comprehensive electricity supply control center in cooperation with the state-run Korea Electric Power Corp. and other related agencies, activating an emergency response system, officials said.

Yonhap