Crackdown on improper use of air conditioners at shops and restaurants

By Park Sae-jin Posted : August 9, 2016, 13:58 Updated : August 9, 2016, 13:58

[Yonhap News Photo]


Shops and restaurants will be fined this week if they keep air conditioners running with doors open as South Korea's electricity consumption hit an all-time high due to a drawn-out heat wave.

The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy said it would launch a crackdown aimed at reducing power consumption from Thursday.

Shops, restaurants and other commercial facilities are not allowed to do business with doors open while air conditioners are running. Violators will be slapped with a fine of up to three million won (2,715 US dollars), the ministry said.

On Monday, the country's maximum electricity load soared to an all-time of 83.7 million kilowatts. The state-run Korea Power Exchange said its electric power reserve ratio fell to seven percent or 5.91 million kilowatts.

If the reserve ratio falls below one million kilowatts, deliberate rolling blackouts will be implemented.  South Korea staged its first deliberate blackouts on September 15, 2011.

Usually, more electricity has been spent in winter than in summer. This summer, however, a prolonged heat wave has sent many households running fans and air conditioners at day and night. Temperatures have soared above 35 degrees Celsius in many areas.

Aju News Lim Chang-won = cwlim34@ajunews.com
 
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