Daily maximum power demand hits record in Aug. amid extreme heat
Air conditioning outdoor units are seen operating at a building amidst the summer heat wave in Seoul, Aug. 13. Yonhap
Korea's average daily maximum power demand reached a new high in August as the country experienced scorching summer heat that persisted throughout the month, data showed Monday.
The country's peak power demand in August averaged 87.8 gigawatts, a 6.1 percent increase from a year earlier, according to the Korea Power Exchange.
The increase was driven by the higher electricity consumption for air conditioning due to the heat wave that continued throughout the month.
Korea's meteorological agency reported that the number of heat wave days, or days when the daily high was 33 degrees Celsius or higher, reached 16 in August, the second-highest since 1973, when the data was first recorded.
The number of tropical nights, where nighttime temperatures remained above 25 degrees from 6:01 p.m. to 9 a.m. the following day, reached 11.3 days in August as well, marking the first time this figure has reached double digits. (Yonhap)