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With the recent surge in electricity demand due to the sweltering heat, yesterday (6th) already exceeded the maximum in the summer of last year.

Electricity demand surged more than a month earlier than the government's forecast, resulting in an emergency.



Reporter Won Jong-jin on the sidewalk.



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Korea Power Exchange announced that as of 6 pm yesterday, the maximum demand for electricity was 91,938 MW (megawatts).



It is the highest since July 2018, the worst heat wave.



Last year, the peak demand for electricity was recorded at 91,141 megawatts on July 27, this year, it has already exceeded this figure in early July.



Authorities originally expected peak demand for electricity to peak at 95,700 megawatts from 91,700 in the second week of next month.



However, as hot and humid weather continued across the country from the beginning of July, the predicted peak demand for electricity was reached quickly for over a month.



A warning light is on for power supply.



The 'supply reserve ratio', which indicates the state of power supply and demand, must be at least 10% to ensure stable power supply. As of 6 o'clock yesterday, the reserve ratio was only 8.7%.



The Korea Power Exchange said that although the situation this summer is not easy, it will respond through cooperation between institutions and reduction of corporate demand.