South Korea expects electricity demand to rise as Samsung Electronics and SK hynix expand chip production and more AI data centers are built, Climate, Energy and Environment Minister Kim Sung-whan said before an updated national energy plan due next month.

Kim said AI-related demand alone could add 25 gigawatts to 30 gigawatts. Power use will also increase as more drivers switch to electric vehicles and more households move from gas heating to electric heating.

He said the roadmap, extended by two years to 2040, is reviewing the role of nuclear power. Nuclear now supplies just under a third of South Korea’s electricity, while coal provides 29%.

The country aims to phase out coal-fired plants by 2040.

Kim said regions such as Seoul may need more solar capacity or liquefied natural gas plants.

Samsung and SK hynix have pledged new factories in the country’s southwest as part of an 800 trillion won (US$598 billion) semiconductor project announced by the government, with timelines accelerated to the early 2030s.

🔗 Source: Reuters

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