[Editorial] Looming power crisis

The suspension of four nuclear reactors due to substandard parts is a big embarrassment for Korea, which seeks to export its reactors. All the more so as it coincided with the groundbreaking ceremony for the second of the four nuclear reactors that Korea is building in the United Arab Emirates.

Due to the shutdown, the nation is likely to face an unprecedented power crisis this summer. Even before it, a serious power shortage was expected this summer as many of the nation’s 23 reactors went out of action for one reason or another.

Furthermore the Korea Meteorological Administration has forecast that the mercury will rise higher than normal this summer. With every one degree Celsius rise in temperature, power consumption increases by 1 million kilowatts.

The suspension of the four reactors has heightened the likelihood of a crisis. It has slashed Korea’s total power generation capacity to below 77 million kilowatts, even lower than last year’s peak demand of 77.27 million kilowatts. Demand is forecast to rise to 79 million kilowatts this summer.

As the specter of a crisis looms large, the government is shifting into emergency mode. Prime Minister Chung Hong-won and other Cabinet ministers are to call on the public today to make concerted efforts to cut power consumption.

Every citizen is urged to join the campaign as reducing consumption is the only way to avoid a crisis at the moment. There is no way to significantly increase power generation capacity in a short period of time.

Yet the government needs to go beyond just urging people to save electricity. First it needs to make sure that nuclear reactors are not suspended again due to fake parts.

Late last year, the nation was rocked by the disclosure that more than 13,000 substandard parts were used for some of the nation’s 23 reactors. At the time, the government pledged to set up a system that could prevent faulty parts from being used for reactors. It should review the system, as it seems to have much room for improvement.

At the same time, it needs to mete out stern punishment to those responsible for the use of the substandard parts.

Boosting the nation’s power generation capacity is also necessary as power demand keeps rising. Unlike the previous government, the incumbent administration is lukewarm about building nuclear power plants. But to meet rising power consumption, the need for new nuclear reactors is inevitable.