AI and Chip Expansion Drive Power Demand Surge, South Korea Considers New Nuclear Reactors

On September 08, South Korea expects significant growth in future electricity demand due to AI data center construction and expanded chip production by Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix. Climate and Energy Minister Kim Sung-hwan stated that new electricity demand from AI development alone will reach 25 to 30 GW.

The government plans to update its long-term energy roadmap next month, extending the planning period to 2040, and will consider whether to include plans for building more nuclear reactors. If all new power were supplied by nuclear energy, it would equate to the installed capacity of approximately 20 nuclear reactors based on South Korea's existing domestically designed reactor standards. South Korea currently operates 26 nuclear reactors, which supply nearly one-third of the nation's electricity. The country also plans to increase the share of renewable energy and gradually phase out coal-fired power plants by 2040.

[TechFlow]