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Power demand hits all-time high amid scorching heat

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A Korea Electric Power Corp. (KEPCO) official monitors electricity supply levels at an operations center in Suwon, Gyeonggi Province, Tuesday. According to the Korea Power Exchange, the country's power demand reached a record high of 102.327 gigawatt the previous day as a heat wave gripped the nation. Hot and humid conditions continued Tuesday, as Seoul's temperature climbed to 36.4 degrees Celsius. Temperatures soared to 38.5 degrees Celsius in one area of Paju, Gyeonggi Province, to become the hottest area in Korea. Yonhap

A Korea Electric Power Corp. (KEPCO) official monitors electricity supply levels at an operations center in Suwon, Gyeonggi Province, Tuesday. According to the Korea Power Exchange, the country's power demand reached a record high of 102.327 gigawatt the previous day as a heat wave gripped the nation. Hot and humid conditions continued Tuesday, as Seoul's temperature climbed to 36.4 degrees Celsius. Temperatures soared to 38.5 degrees Celsius in one area of Paju, Gyeonggi Province, to become the hottest area in Korea. Yonhap

Korea's electricity demand hit an all-time high Monday as the country was struck by scorching summer heat, data showed Tuesday.

The country's maximum power demand reached 102.327 gigawatts between 2-3 p.m. Monday, surpassing the previous record of 100.571 GW set in August last year, according to the Korea Power Exchange.

Solar energy accounted for 17.942 GW, or 17.5 percent, of the total supply at the previous day's peak, the data also showed.

The high demand came as the nation was gripped by sweltering weather this summer.

Korea's weather agency said the temperature reached as high as 34.1 degrees Celsius the previous day. The tropical night phenomenon has also continued in the capital city for 23 consecutive days.

Pundits, meanwhile, anticipate that the country's power demand could rise further down the road amid strong demand from the semiconductor industry, data centers and electric vehicles. (Yonhap)