Focusing on data centers in the metropolitan area, it took more than two years to review power supply

According to the analysis of data submitted by Korea Electric Power Corporation by a member of the Climate, Energy, Environment and Labor Committee of the National Assembly on the 28th (Democratic Party of Korea, Dangjin, South Chungcheong Province), 101 cases (62.7%) of the 161 applications for electricity use from KEPCO between 2021 and 2025 were in Seoul (20 cases), Gyeonggi (74 cases), and Incheon (7 cases).

Of the 46 applications applied last year, the metropolitan area accounted for 37 (80.4%), and the proportion of the metropolitan area increased by 48.8 percentage points from 32.0% (8 out of 25) in 2024.

Of the applications received after 2021, 154 power supply plan review results were returned, and the three cases judged to be 'unable to supply' were all in the Gyeonggi region.

The reason was a lack of supply capacity at a nearby substation.

Of the 154 replies, 88 (57.1%) were 'supply possible' and 63 (40.9%) were 'conditionally available'.

In this situation, 37.0% (57 cases) took more than six months to review whether electricity could be supplied to the data center by examining the conditions of substations and transmission and distribution lines around the business site.

There were 44 cases between 6 months and less than 1 year, 9 cases between 1 year and less than 2 years, and 4 cases over 2 years.

All seven cases that have not yet received a response have been waiting for more than six months. Two cases have been waiting for more than two years.

Rep. Eo Gu-gu said, "If the securing of power is not determined, the schedule for design, financing, and equipment introduction becomes uncertain, so a prolonged review of power security measures may become an obstacle to investment in artificial intelligence (AI) infrastructure. As there are limits to rushing the review while leaving the structure concentrated in the metropolitan area as is, the government and KEPCO must provide specific power supply capacity and expected schedule for each region and prepare a plan to compensate and support damage to nearby residents along with support for local investment companies." said.