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Electric power consumption per year (%) (’12) 2.5 -> (’13) 1.8 -> (’14) 0.6 -> (’15) 1.3
Since 2012, electric power consumption has been steadily increasing at about 6.2%
Electric power consumption in ’15 was 483.7 billion KWh
(an increase by about 20 times in comparison with 22.9 billion KWh for 2011)

The rate of increase in electric power consumption for last year was shown to be higher than the year previous.
This can be attributed to the increase in power consumption for general and housing uses due to the effect of trends for domestic demand-oriented recovery although the rate of increase in electric power consumption for industrial use slowed down due to overall weakness in exports.

According to ‘2015 trends for electric power consumption’ published on the 27th by the ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, the electric power consumption for last year was 483.7 billion kWh, or an increase by 1.3% in comparison to the year previous, which is higher than the rate of increase for the previous year (0.6%).

Ministry of Trade, Industry & Energy explained “The increasing trend for electric power consumption was led by the power for general and housing use due to the recovery in domestic demands and an increase in the number of electricity users”.

Per use, the increase rate in electric power consumption for agricultural use recorded the largest amount at 8.3%, followed in the order of street lamps (3.7%), educational use (3.4%), general use (2.9%), housing use (1.8%), industrial use (0.4%), etc.

The increase rate in electric power consumption for industrial use remained at 0.4% due to a weakness in business types with a large consumption of electric power products such as steel, electronics, etc. Relative weight accounted for by steel and electronic business types in total power consumption for industrial use is on the level at 31%.

Meanwhile, the electric power market price (SMP) for last year recorded \101.76 per kWh, representing a decrease by 28.5% in comparison with the year previous. This was due to a reduction in fuel costs resulting from a drop in oil prices and expansion of base equipment such as nuclear power plant and thermal power generation, etc.

Energy consumption trend

Total energy consumption for the first half of 2015 recorded 141.5 million toe, corresponding to an increase by 0.8% in comparison with the same period of the previous year.

Despite the increase in oil consumption resulting from low oil prices, the increasing trend in total energy was limited by a slowdown in the domestic economy growth rate due to stagnation in industrial activities.

In terms of energy sources, natural gas showed a large reduction although coal and petroleum showed a marked increase.

Consumption of petroleum products for transportation drastically increased due to a drastic reduction in oil prices (an increase by 2.5% for petroleum), and consumption of naphtha was also increased due to an increase in the margin for naphtha and ethylene.
Coal (an increase by 2.5%) for power generation use was greatly increased due to the incorporation of new power generation equipment although coal for industrial use was reduced due to a weakness in production activities of in the steel industry.
Consumption of natural gas (a decrease by 5.8%) for power generation use was greatly reduced due to an increase in base power generation equipment, and consumption for urban gas use was also reduced due to a weakening as a result of low oil prices.
Nuclear power (an increase by 0.7%) was slightly increased due to re-operation of several nuclear power plants.
Whereas electric power (an increase by 1.8%) consumption for household and commercial uses was recovered due to base effects and effects of a cold winter in comparison with the previous year, the consumption for industrial use was stagnated due to a slowdown in industrial activities.

Final energy consumption recorded 107.9 million toe, corresponding to an increase by 0.7% in comparison with the same period of the previous year as consumption in transportation and building sectors increased, despite a reduction in the industrial sector

Industry (a reduction by 1.1%) for both raw material and fuel uses showed a reduction due to a slowdown in industrial activities.
Transportation (an increase by 6.1%) showed an increase in consumption for all oil types due to the effects of a drastic reduction in oil prices.
Building (an increase by 1.8%) showed recovery in electric power consumption due to base effects, etc. accompanied by a drastic increase in petroleum consumption due to low oil prices.

Total energy demand is expected to be 285.3 million toe in 2015 or an increase by 1.3%, and 293.9 million toe in 2016 or an increase by 3.0%.

In 2016, the total energy demand is expected to be recovered to a level similar as the economy growth rate due to recovery in domestic business.

※ Domestic economy growth rate (%) total : (’12) 2.3 ⇒ (’13) 2.9 ⇒ (’14) 3.3 ⇒ (’15e) 2.6 ⇒ (’16e) 3.0

Relative weight of electrical power consumption in the first half of 2015 per manufacturing business type (%)

Electrical power consumption for household and commercial uses in the first half of 2015 is recovered due to base effects and temperature effects, etc.
In the first half of 2014, consumption for household and commercial uses was reduced by 1.4% and 4.2%, respectively, in comparison with the previous year due to the effects of a warm winter and a rise in electrical charges over 2 times in 2013
Electrical power consumption was recovered in the first half of 2015 due to the base effects resulting from a reduction in consumption for the first half of 2014 as well as an increase in heating demands caused by cold winter weather in comparison to 2014.
Whereas cooling degree-day and heating degree-day in 2014 was dropped by 9.5% and 13.5%, respectively, in comparison with the previous year electrical charges were raised by an average of 4.0% in January, and by an average of 5.4% in November 2013.
Heating degree-day for the first half of 2015 was raised by 6.1% in comparison with the same period of the previous year.