Gov`t power conservation rules reduce electricity use

Electricity use is known to have considerably fallen since the government imposed power conservation measures on companies and general buildings from Dec. 15.

Large companies and big power consumers are required to cut electricity consumption 10 percent from a year earlier in the peak hours of 10 a.m. to noon and 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.

According to a Dong-A Ilbo analysis on power supply at the Korea Power Exchange conducted from Dec. 15 through Saturday, the reserve power rate, or the total supply minus use and then divided by total supply, was 14.1 percent at peak daily hours, up from 10.9 percent a year earlier. Total installed capacity increased by 3.26 million kilowatts, but if the suspension of nuclear power plants in Uljin and Gori is accounted for, the effects of the power conservation measures have been effective.

The reserve ratio was also higher over this surveyed period despite the lower-than-normal temperature of minus 1.7 to minus 7 degrees.

The government is said to have secured 1.5 million to 2 million kilowatts of power due to the regulation. This amount is equal to building three or four thermoelectric power plants of 500,000 kilowatts each.

A source at the Knowledge Economy Ministry said, “If not for the power conservation measures, the reserve power ratio would have been below 5 million kilowatts on Dec. 15, 16, 19 and 20.” The ratio stayed between 6.52 million and 7.19 million kilowatts over these periods.

Despite stable power supply, small and mid-size companies are warning of higher electricity prices. Hikes in power prices hit 4.9 percent in early August and 4.5 percent early this month on average.

The CEO of a mid-size supplier of auto parts to a domestic carmaker said, “We expect more difficulty next year since electricity prices will rise to 120 million won (104,347 U.S. dollars) early next year from 55 million won (47,826 dollars).”

With the problem of long-term power supply yet to be resolved, Knowledge Economy Minister Hong Suk-woo commented on the disputed candidate site for nuclear power plants (Samcheok in Gangwon Province and Yeongdeok in North Gyeongsang Province) in a phone interview with Dong-A.

“There is no change to our policy on raising power supply through building more nuclear reactors. We will continuously examine safety in the course of building such plants given fears raised in the wake of the nuclear accident in Fukushima, Japan,” he said.

mint4a@donga.com