Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy

Minister for Trade, Industry and Energy Dukgeun Ahn of the Republic of Korea held the 35th Energy Commission meeting today for deliberation on the Government’s plans regarding energy supply and demand during emergencies, gas safety management, and electrical safety management.

The Korean government has been preparing response measures against national energy emergencies by establishing the Energy Supply and Demand Plan for Emergencies under the Energy Act. In light of the rapidly changing energy supply and demand landscape due to Korea’s shifting energy mix, geopolitical uncertainties like the Russia-Ukraine war, and climate anomalies, the Government has laid out response measures to various possible emergency scenarios.

The distinguished feature of the most recently established Energy Supply and Demand Plan for Emergencies is its adjustment of the nation’s energy mix set previously comprising electrical power, crude oil, gas, and coal to electrical power, crude oil, gas, and thermal power amid the declining demand for coal and rising use of thermal energy. The plan expands the scope of power emergency management to cover not only supply and demand but the electrical power system as well, in view of increased use of renewable energy and ensuing power system volatility.

Since 2015, the Government has been renewing the Basic Plan for Gas Safety Management every five years on account of the flammability and explosion risks of gas. The recently established third Basic Plan for Gas Safety Management differs from the previous version in that it contains safety standards for new hydrogen technologies and related infrastructure expansion measures in response to Korea’s growing hydrogen economy. Moreover, in view of the increasing number of old gas facilities, the Government will push the transition to a digital-based constant safety management system through a more active deployment of information technology while also reinforcing private sectors’ safety management.

Korea’s electrical power consumption is on an upward trend owing to datacenters and such power-intensive facilities, and the complexity and scale of electrical power accidents and damages are growing as well. Accordingly, the Government established the first Electrical Safety Management Basic Plan this year, outlining measures for enhanced safety management that cater to the more vulnerable targets including multipurpose facilities, industrial complexes, and socially disadvantaged groups. The plan further aims to promote flexible and field-oriented electrical safety management methods, the innovation of safety management based on cutting-edge technologies, and the nurturing of private-led safety management efforts in developing the electrical safety industry.

Minister Ahn stated that the Government will continually strive to innovate the safety management system in step with various changes such as the growth of the hydrogen economy and advanced industries’ increased power demand to accommodate the safe energy consumption of Korean citizens.