S. Korea’s maximum power demand hits record high in August

SEOUL, Sept. 2 (Xinhua) — South Korea’s daily average maximum power demand hit a record high in August amid the prolonged heatwave across the country, Yonhap news agency reported Monday citing the Korea Power Exchange.
The peak electricity demand, which gauges power demand at the time of a day when the demand is at the highest, averaged 87.8 gigawatts in August, up 6.1 percent from the same month of 2023.
The record power demand came as the sweltering heat plagued the country throughout the month, sharply raising electricity demand for air conditioning from households and commercial facilities.
The number of heatwave days, or days when the daily high surges above 33 degrees Celsius, stood at 16 in August, marking the second-highest since relevant data began to be compiled in 1973.
The number of tropical nights, at which temperatures stay above 25 degrees Celsius from 6:01 p.m. to 9:00 a.m. the following day, reached a new high of 11.3 days in August. ■