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Climate, Energy and Environment Minister Kim Sung-whan<\/p>\nAI infrastructure could add 25 to 30 gigawatts to South Korea\u2019s electricity demand.<\/p>\n
Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix plan factories within an $590 billion semiconductor project.<\/p>\n
Nuclear supplies nearly one-third of national power, while coal is scheduled for phaseout by 2040.<\/p>\n
AI reshapes South Korea\u2019s energy outlook<\/p>\n
South Korea is preparing for a sharp rise in electricity demand as artificial intelligence accelerates semiconductor production and data centre construction.<\/p>\n
AI-related projects alone could add 25 to 30 gigawatts of demand, Climate, Energy and Environment Minister Kim Sung-whan told Reuters. The increase would place new pressure on a power system already navigating electrification and the planned retirement of coal plants.<\/p>\n
Electric vehicles will require more electricity as they replace gasoline-powered cars. Buildings are also expected to shift from gas heating to electric systems. Together, these changes are forcing the government to reconsider the scale and composition of future generation.<\/p>\n
An updated national energy roadmap is due to be unveiled next month. It will extend South Korea\u2019s planning horizon by two years to 2040. A central question is whether the government will authorize additional nuclear reactors.<\/p>\n
Kim declined to specify how many reactors may be required. Experts are still reviewing the country\u2019s projected needs. However, he described nuclear energy as \u201can essential element to consider within the power generation structure of our energy mix.\u201d<\/p>\n
Climate, Energy and Environment Minister Kim Sung-whan<\/p>\n
Supplying the projected AI increase entirely through nuclear generation would require capacity comparable to about 20 South Korean-designed reactors.<\/p>\n
Chip investment accelerates demand<\/p>\n
Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix are expanding domestic production as global demand for advanced memory chips grows. Their components are critical to the data centres and computing systems behind AI services.<\/p>\n
The companies have pledged to build factories in South Korea\u2019s southwest. The investments form part of an 800 trillion won ($590 billion) semiconductor project announced by the government this year.<\/p>\n
\u201cProjects originally planned to be built by around 2045 have been \u2060significantly accelerated and are now due to be completed by the early 2030s,\u201d Kim said.<\/p>\n
Several US technology companies, including Nvidia, have also expressed interest in developing data centres in South Korea, according to Kim. He said the country\u2019s dependable electricity supply was an important attraction.<\/p>\n
That reputation will become harder to maintain as large industrial users connect to the grid. Data centres require constant power and can concentrate demand in regions where transmission capacity is already constrained.<\/p>\n