원전 가동 중단으로 6월 첫째 주부터 전력난이 올 것으로 예상된다.

전력거래소는 다음 주 전국 예비전력이 300만 kW, 6월 둘째 주는 250만 kW까지 떨어져 각 주에 전력수급경보 ‘준비’와 ‘관심’을 발령할 것으로 예측했다.

전력수급경보는 예비전력이 400만㎾ 미만으로 떨어질 때 100만kW씩 단계를 정해 점차적으로 경보단계를 심화하는 체제다.

현재 원자력안전위원회의 점검으로 두 곳의 원전이 가동되지 않고 있고 올해 안에 재가동 될 계획이었던 다른 두 곳의 원전도 원자력안전위원회에서 승인을 받지 못한 상황이다.

한국수력원자력 관계자에 따르면, 원전 가동률이 80% 이하로 떨어진 것은 이번이 처음이다.

특히 이번 전력난은 현대제철, 삼성전자와 같이 평소 전력소비가 많은 대기업에 큰 영향을 줄 것으로 보인다.

현대제철 한 관계자는 “이번 여름에 일부 공장 생산을 중단하고 분기 목표를 하향 조절 해야 할 것”이라고 전했다.

이와 같이 삼성전자는 전력공급이 많은 시간대에는 전력소비를 줄이고 낡고 전력소비가 심한 기계 및 부품들을 에너지 효율이 높은 신제품으로 교체하는 등 내부적으로 전력난에 대비하고 있다고 밝혔다.

전국경제인연합회 한 관계자는, “원활한 전력공급이 제철, 반도체, 중공업 등 모든 산업의 경쟁력을 뒷받침한다”며 “이런 산업이 전력난으로 손해를 보면 소비자도 가격면에서 타격을 받는다”고 말했다.

지난 2011년 여수산업단지 정전으로 인해 26개의 석유화학 업체들이 총 700억원에 달하는 손해를 본 적이 있어 이번 전력난에도 기업들의 움직임에 관심을 갖지 않을 수 없다. (코리아헤럴드)


<관련 영문 기사>

Nation faces warning on electricity supply this week

With another nuclear reactor to stop for maintenance and an expected power demand increase because of high temperatures, the nation’s electric power reserves are expected to drop to a warning level this week, officials said Sunday.

Such a shortage sent out emergency signals throughout the industrial circles, especially the sectors which are heavily reliant on electricity for production.

According to the Korea Power Exchange, the country’s total electricity inventory will come close to 3 million kilowatts this week and fall down to the 2.5 million kilowatts level the following week.

This is to activate two warning steps consecutively, based on a phased warning system which is to be issued for every 1 million kilowatts decrease, starting from the 4 million kilowatts line.

The Nuclear Safety & Security Commission suddenly halted last week the operation of two nuclear reactors because of control cables with forged quality warranties. Two other reactors, which were scheduled to resume operation within the year, were also suspended.

According to the Korea Hydro and Nuclear Power Co., the operation rate of the nuclear power plants has decreased to under 80 percent for the first time.

The expected supply shortage posed a threat to the industries with large-sized manufacturing facilities here, especially those that are heavily reliant on electricity supplies.

Hyundai Steel and Samsung Electronics, the nation’s top two consumers of electricity, have come up with emergency action plans to prevent total power exhaustion and to meet their export demands.

“While the steel industry generally requires a high supply of electricity, the problem is all the more serious for us as we specialize in electric furnaces,” said an official of Hyundai Steel.

The company thus decided to partly suspend its facilities during the summer season and adjust its quarterly target output, the official said.

Samsung Electronics also set to reinforcing its energy saving campaign, obligating its factories to cut down on their power during peak time and to replace time-worn facilities with new high-efficiency ones.

The production of key export items such as semiconductors and display items, however, will be maintained at the usual capacity level, according to officials.

Despite such individual efforts, the burden on the manufacturing circle is expected to take a negative effect on the entire market.

“Electricity is one of the key raw materials, which determine the competitiveness of all basic industries, such as steel, semiconductors and heavy industries,” said an official of the Federation of Korean Industries.

“The inflation in the industrial market, in turn, will result in the price hike in the consumer market.”

The worst scenario nevertheless is the possibility of a total blackout, which should be avoided at all costs, the official added.

Back in 2011, when an extensive blackout hit on the Yeosu Industrial Complex, some 26 petrochemical companies suffered a total loss of 70 billion won ($61.9 million).

By Bae Hyun-jung
(tellme@heraldcorp.com)