"Apply for Small Business Electricity Fee Support"... Expanded to Annual Sales Under 104 Million Won

Apply for the 'Small Business Electricity Bill Special Support' on the Website
Assistance Available at 77 Small Enterprise and Market Service Regional Centers Nationwide

The Ministry of SMEs and Startups announced on the 1st that applications for the '4th Special Electricity Bill Support Project,' which expands the support targets for electricity bills for small business owners, will begin on the 2nd.

An electric meter at a traditional market in downtown Seoul.
[Photo by Yonhap News]

The support target has been expanded from small business owners with an annual sales of 60 million KRW or less to those with annual sales under 104 million KRW. However, small business owners with annual sales exceeding 60 million KRW who operate in industries excluded from policy fund support, such as entertainment and gambling, are excluded from support. Additionally, small business owners who applied in the first to third rounds in the first half of the year but did not receive support due to exceeding the sales criteria will be supported without a separate application if they meet the expanded criteria this time. The maximum support amount is 200,000 KRW.

Applications for electricity bill support can be made online. Applicants can apply by accessing the 'Small Business Electricity Bill Special Support' website. Those who have a direct contract with Korea Electric Power Corporation (KEPCO), called 'direct contractors,' need to enter their business information and KEPCO customer number. Once the support is confirmed after application, the electricity bill on the invoice will be deducted accordingly. For 'non-contract users' who pay electricity bills included in management fees and do not have a direct contract with KEPCO, they must submit business information, KEPCO customer number, and a receipt showing monthly payments of 12,000 KRW or more to receive the support amount refunded to their account. If online application is difficult, assistance is available by visiting one of the 77 regional centers of the Small Enterprise and Market Service nationwide.

Hwang Young-ho, head of the Small Business COVID-19 Recovery Support Team at the Ministry of SMEs and Startups, said, "We have further expanded the support targets to alleviate the electricity bill burden for small business owners," and added, "We will promote the system on-site together with small business associations such as market merchant associations to ensure they can receive support."