Korea Southern Power has initiated comprehensive equipment inspections and emergency response measures in anticipation of record electricity demand in the third week of August.
The company is accelerating efforts to enhance equipment stability and organizational competitiveness by implementing a next-generation power facility management system utilizing artificial intelligence and big data, as well as establishing dedicated teams to respond to changes in the management environment.
On August 4, Korea Southern Power held a "Summer Power Supply Inspection Meeting" with participation from all business units to review the current power supply status and safety management measures for each facility.
This meeting was convened in light of expectations that electricity demand will peak during the third week of August as industrial operations and daily life normalize amid ongoing heat waves. According to Korea Southern Power, the maximum power demand surged to 92.9GW on July 13 due to an early heat wave in early to mid-July, resulting in a supply reserve ratio dropping to around 11%.
In the last week of July, maximum power demand ranged from 85.1 to 93.9GW, with a maximum supply capacity of 107.3GW, maintaining a stable reserve ratio above 13%. However, the maximum power demand for the third week of August is projected to rise to as high as 98.8GW, depending on temperature and industrial activity, surpassing the baseline forecast of 94.1GW. If this peak is realized, it would exceed the previous record of 97.1GW.
Korea Southern Power plans to secure supply capacity through stable operation of power facilities and prepare reserve resources, including increasing coal-fired power output, to address emergency situations such as equipment failures.
From August 6 to 28, the company will operate an "Emergency Response Team for Power Supply" to closely monitor the power supply situation and the operational status of power facilities. Following the government's declaration of a "serious" heat wave disaster warning on July 26, the company will also implement measures to prevent equipment shutdowns due to human factors, prohibit testing and maintenance during peak power hours, and conduct preemptive inspections in preparation for typhoons and heavy rainfall.
During the meeting, business units including Yeongheung, Samcheok, Bundang, Yeongdong Eco, Yeosu, Goseong, and Gangneung shared updates on equipment issues and actions taken. They also reviewed cases of equipment failures from other power companies to discuss preventive measures against similar incidents.
Lee Yong-ki, Vice President of Safety Technology at Korea Southern Power, stated, "With record electricity demand expected in the third week of August, all business units must remain vigilant and ensure stable equipment operation. We will prioritize the safety of on-site workers while focusing our collective efforts on stable power supply."
Korea Southern Power officially launched its next-generation power facility management system, "GENi 2.0," on July 31.
The previous GENi system, introduced in 2011, has been used by an average of about 2,500 users daily, with 82% of users being on-site workers and contractor employees. The recent upgrade focuses on enhancing convenience for on-site operations and safety management.
Korea Southern Power explained that it has integrated complex and repetitive administrative procedures, reducing the overall number of steps by approximately 40%. This aims to allow on-site workers to concentrate more on equipment maintenance and safety management rather than administrative tasks.
The 143 types of safety documents that were previously handwritten, printed, and scanned have now been converted to an electronic signature format within the system. This transition is expected to reduce paper usage and minimize the risk of document omissions or errors.
Additionally, features have been added to analyze weather information, maintenance history, and power generation data using AI and big data technology to assess the likelihood of equipment failures and work risks. The analysis results will be available to management and on-site workers through a visualized dashboard.
Korea Southern Power plans to expand GENi 2.0 as a standard platform for power facility management, considering the potential for system integration among power companies. However, the actual effectiveness in preventing failures and the extent of reduced work hours will need to be verified through data accumulated after the system's operation.
The company is also preparing internal responses to changes in the management environment, including the integration of power public enterprises and the phase-out of coal-fired power.
Korea Southern Power held a discussion on July 28 at its Jinju headquarters to address management environment changes, including power company integration, and to review precedents of public institution integration and changes in the energy industry. Earlier, the company formed a "Integration Issues Response Task Force" in May to respond to external environmental changes, including discussions on power company integration. This discussion was part of the Task Force's activities.
Participants examined past cases of public institution integration and the impact of domestic and international energy environment changes on the power industry, discussing ways to incorporate Korea Southern Power's equipment, workforce, and technological competitiveness into future response strategies.
Cho Young-hyuk, Acting President of Korea Southern Power, stated, "We will incorporate the opinions of experts and employees derived from the discussion into our energy transition response strategy and integration response master plan."
As the specific methods for power company integration and organizational and personnel management directions have not yet been finalized, Korea Southern Power's response strategy is expected to be further refined in line with future government policies and restructuring discussions.
The company is also promoting marine environmental cleanup projects in collaboration with the local community. On July 27, Korea Southern Power held the launch ceremony for the "2026 New-KOEN Marine Guardians" project in Gyeongnam's Goseong.
The Marine Guardians project, initiated in 2017 in partnership with the Korea Senior Employment Agency, aims to address the dual issues of job shortages for seniors in rural areas around power plants and marine debris.
This year, approximately 120 local residents aged 60 and older will participate. Over the next five months, participants will engage in coastal environmental cleanup, village flower path creation, and recycling activities in four regions: Gyeongnam's Goseong and Sacheon, Incheon’s Ongjin, and Gangwon's Gangneung.
Korea Southern Power reported that over the past nine years, this project has created about 1,870 jobs for seniors in surrounding areas and collected approximately 280 tons of marine debris annually.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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