South Korea to Ensure Apartment Power Restoration Within 12-48 Hours After Outages

In response to a significant power outage that left a Sejong City apartment complex without electricity for five days, the South Korean government has announced a comprehensive overhaul of its emergency response system for apartment power failures. The Ministry of Climate, Energy and Environment revealed on May 20th that it will implement measures to ensure temporary power supply to multi-unit dwellings within 24 hours, and within 48 hours for cases involving extensive damage from fires or floods. This proactive approach acknowledges the critical link between prolonged power outages and resident safety.

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Until now, the interior of apartment complexes has been managed as private property, making it difficult for the government to intervene directly even if power facilities malfunctioned.

Previously, the government faced limitations in intervening directly in power supply issues within apartment complexes, as these were considered private property. However, the recent incident highlighted the urgent need for a more robust public response mechanism. To address this, Korea Electric Power Corporation (KEPCO) will deploy mobile transformers for temporary restoration, supported by a newly established inventory of essential materials like poles, wires, and transformers. The Korea Electrical Safety Corporation will also conduct intensive inspections of key facilities in older, larger apartment buildings, focusing on substations and transformers.

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However, as prolonged power outages directly affect resident safety, we have decided to establish a response system.

Data reveals that apartment power outages are a recurring issue, averaging 127 incidents per year over the last three years, with a notable concentration during the summer months of July and August. While most outages are resolved within 12 hours, a small but significant number persist for over 24 hours. The government's new integrated standard operating procedure and planned simulation drills aim to enhance the effectiveness of on-site response. This initiative reflects a growing awareness of the vulnerabilities in urban infrastructure and a commitment to safeguarding citizens from disruptions, particularly in densely populated residential areas.

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KEPCO will establish a system that can be immediately deployed to the site when a power outage occurs by securing sufficient inventory of materials necessary for emergency restoration.