A view of the Shin Hanul Units 1 and 2. Operating a single state-of-the-art semiconductor fabrication plant requires approximately 1 to 1.5 GW of electricity, meaning the power generated by Shin Hanul Units 1 and 2 combined is sufficient to run two to three such semiconductor facilities. (Image courtesy of Gyeongsangbuk-do)
SEOUL, May 12 (Korea Bizwire) — For the first time in nearly two decades, nuclear power has surpassed coal to become South Korea’s largest source of electricity, signaling a broader shift in the country’s energy landscape toward cleaner and more sustainable sources.
According to the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy’s newly released 2024 Energy Supply and Demand Trends report, the nation’s total power generation reached 595.6 terawatt-hours (TWh) last year, up 1.3% from 2024.
Nuclear energy accounted for 188.8 TWh—31.7% of the total—making it the top contributor to electricity generation for the first time since 2006.
Coal and natural gas each generated 167.2 TWh, or 28.1%, placing them in joint second. Coal had been the dominant source of electricity since 2007 but fell due to increased environmental regulations and higher utilization of nuclear facilities.
Notably, renewable energy generation grew 11.7% year-over-year to reach 63.2 TWh, exceeding 10% of the total mix for the first time at 10.6%. This growth was largely driven by solar energy expansion, improved generation conditions, and increased investment, according to the ministry.
South Korea’s total energy consumption in 2025 reached 309.4 million TOE (tons of oil equivalent), a 1.7% increase from the year prior. Energy intensity—the amount of energy used per 1 million won of GDP—improved slightly to 0.133 TOE, reflecting gains in industrial efficiency.
Coal consumption declined 6.2% due to reductions in both power generation and industrial use. In contrast, petroleum consumption rose 2.8% on the back of recovering petrochemical fuel demand, while natural gas use increased 5.9% across both industrial and power sectors.
Nuclear energy consumption grew 4.6% thanks in part to the activation of the Shin Hanul Unit 2 reactor.
Installed power generation capacity also expanded to 153.1 GW, up 8.7 GW from the previous year. Of that, renewable capacity rose 10.5% to 34.7 GW, led by a 13.1% jump in solar installations totaling 3.1 GW.
Capacity share by source was as follows: natural gas (30.3%), coal (26.3%), renewables (22.7%), and nuclear (17.0%).
Electricity consumption rose slightly to 536.6 TWh. While industrial use dipped 1.7% due to increased self-generation, building sector demand rose 2.2% amid a sweltering summer. In transportation, electricity use surged 15.8%, led by a 39.2% jump in road sector consumption from the expanding electric vehicle fleet.
Final energy consumption climbed 1.9% to 212.1 million TOE. Industrial consumption rose 3.5%, led by petrochemicals and machinery, while the transport sector declined 1.2%, driven by sharp drops in shipping and aviation fuel use. Building energy use declined marginally by 0.3% as reduced winter heating demand offset summer cooling needs.
Cho Ik-no, Director General for Energy Policy at the ministry, stated, “As we move toward carbon neutrality, we will continue to expand carbon-free energy sources in harmony with rising demand from advanced industries like AI data centers, while pushing forward reforms in the power market, grid systems, and coal reduction.”
M. H. Lee (mhlee@koreabizwire.com)
