September 8, 2026, (Inside AI) — South Korea expects its electricity demand to jump by 25 to 30 gigawatts over the coming years, driven almost entirely by artificial intelligence infrastructure. The surge comes from expanded chip production at Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix, plus new AI data centers.
Climate, Energy and Environment Minister Kim Sung-whan confirmed the figures in an interview this month. He said the AI-driven power needs alone will require that additional capacity, on top of rising demand from electric vehicles and electric heating.
The government will unveil an updated long-term energy roadmap next month, extending its horizon to 2040. A central question is whether Seoul will commit to building more nuclear reactors.
Nuclear Expansion Hinges on Safety Politics
Kim declined to say how many new reactors the country needs. He called nuclear energy an essential element to consider within the power generation structure of the energy mix.
If the entire 25 to 30 gigawatts came from nuclear alone, it would equal roughly 20 new reactors based on current South Korean designs. The country now operates 26 reactors, supplying just under a third of its electricity.
Public opinion is split. A state-run survey found 79% of 2,000 respondents supported including new nuclear plants in the roadmap. But in Ulsan, a possible site, a civic group gathered over 10,000 signatures opposing additional reactors on safety grounds.
Kim said the planned chip cluster in the southwest would not require a new nuclear plant because six reactors already operate there. Instead, regions like Seoul would need additional solar or liquefied natural gas plants.
Chip Giants Accelerate Timelines
Samsung and SK Hynix have pledged new factories in the southwest as part of an 800 trillion won ($590 billion) government-backed mega project.
“Projects originally planned to be built by around 2045 have been significantly accelerated and are now due to be completed by the early 2030s,” Kim said.
Several U.S. tech companies, including Nvidia, have expressed interest in building data centers in South Korea because of its dependable power supply, Kim added.
South Korea aims to expand renewables, which now provide 11% of power. Coal accounts for 29% and gas 27%. The country has 60 coal-fired plants and wants to phase them out by 2040, though 20 could remain as emergency backup.
“It’s a kind of safety power reserve. You never know what might happen, so completely dismantling everything could put us in a difficult situation,” Kim said.
