Securing 'All-Time Highest Power Supply Capacity' in Winter with Maximum Nuclear Plant Operation... "Stable Management Possible Even in Extreme Conditions"

Ministry of Industry Projects Peak Winter Power Demand of 97.8GW
Supply Capacity Prepared at 110.2GW with Reserve Margin of 12.7%
6.8GW Reserve Capacity Ready for Unexpected Failures

The government has decided to operate nuclear power plants at maximum capacity to respond to winter electricity demand. With a supply capacity 12.4GW greater than the peak electricity demand, the government expects stable power supply and demand this winter as well.

The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy announced on the 5th that it forecasts the peak electricity demand this winter to be 97.8GW and has secured a supply capacity of 110.2GW in response.

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An official from the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy explained, "According to the Korea Meteorological Administration, this winter is expected to have low precipitation and temperatures around the average level. While the power authorities anticipate peak electricity demand to be around 92.8GW, they also consider that if snow accumulates reducing solar power generation and a sudden cold wave occurs, demand could rise to 97.8GW. This assumes weather conditions similar to those on December 23, 2022, when electricity demand rose to 94.5GW, marking the highest winter peak."

The 110.2GW power supply capacity prepared by the power authorities is the highest ever, increasing by 5GW compared to last winter. This winter, all 23 nuclear reactors except for the Saeul Unit 1, which is undergoing maintenance, will be operational. Additionally, the reinforcement of new grid facilities such as the Bukdangjin-Godeok ultra-high voltage direct current (HVDC) transmission line established in May and the Bukdangjin-Sintangjeong line scheduled for December has reduced power generation constraints on the west coast, contributing to the increased supply capacity.

However, despite securing sufficient supply capacity, the power authorities have prepared various additional power supply and demand management measures to cope with unexpected situations such as cascading sudden generator failures or surprise cold waves. They plan to activate up to 6.8GW of additional reserve resources, including demand response (DR) that compensates users for reducing power consumption, increased output from coal power plants, and voltage reduction.

The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy will also carry out demand management for rational energy use and support for vulnerable groups. It recommends public institutions maintain appropriate indoor temperatures (below 20 degrees Celsius) and conserve elevator operation, and plans to distribute energy-saving guidelines that the entire population can participate in. For vulnerable groups, the winter energy voucher support rate will be increased by 10,000 KRW compared to last year, and the usage period extended by one month until May next year. Heating efficiency improvement projects such as insulation and window construction and the distribution of high-efficiency boilers are also being expanded compared to last year.

The power authorities have designated the period from the 9th of this month to February 21 of next year as the "Winter Power Supply and Demand Countermeasure Period," during which they will intensively monitor real-time supply and demand situations and promptly deploy reserve resources in case of crisis to manage supply and demand stably.