From July 2024 to June 2025, South Korea's electricity consumption has primarily been dominated by fossil fuels, which make up over half of the energy mix at about 55%. Within fossil fuels, gas and coal are almost equally split at approximately 27% each. On the other hand, low-carbon energy sources account for just over 43% of the total electricity generation. It's important to highlight the significant role of nuclear energy within this category, contributing nearly a third of the total electricity at 32%. Solar power, a key clean energy source, represents about 6% of the total electricity. Other forms of low-carbon energy, such as biofuels and hydropower, collectively contribute only a small fraction to the country’s overall electricity generation.
Is Electricity Growing in South Korea?
While South Korea has historically been a leader in electricity consumption, recent data indicates a decline. The latest figure for 2025 is approximately 11,251 kWh per person, down from a previous peak in 2022 of about 12,062 kWh per person. This highlights a decrease of 811 kWh per person, which is disappointing concerning electricity growth essential for future demand and technological advancements. Despite this decline in total consumption, low-carbon electricity generation has seen a minor increase, reaching an all-time high of 4,857 kWh per person, a modest rise of 59 kWh per person compared to the previous low-carbon record in 2024. This upward trend in clean energy usage is positive, yet more substantial progress is necessary.
Suggestions
To further increase low-carbon electricity generation, South Korea should consider expanding its existing nuclear infrastructure, given its significant contribution to the energy mix. Furthermore, South Korea can draw lessons from successful regions like France, where nuclear energy fulfills a dominant portion of the electricity demand at 69%. For solar power, countries like Greece and the state of Nevada can serve as examples, each generating more than a quarter of their electricity from solar energy, underscoring the potential for solar expansion in similar climates. By taking these examples into account, South Korea could significantly enhance its sustainable electricity portfolio, reducing its reliance on fossil fuels and minimizing environmental impact.
History
South Korea's journey with low-carbon electricity has been vibrant and dynamic, with nuclear energy playing a pivotal role since the 1980s. During this decade, there was consistent growth, notably seen in 1986 and 1987 with increases of around 11 TWh each year. Moving into the late 1990s and early 2000s, nuclear capacity continued its ascent, marked by substantial increments, particularly in 1998 and 1999, with over 12 TWh added each year. However, the early 2010s saw significant declines, particularly in 2013 and 2017, with drops of approximately 11.5 and 13.6 TWh, respectively. Encouragingly, the years post-2017 brought about recovery, with substantial gains again in 2019 and 2022, marking South Korea's resilience in advancing its nuclear capacity. Continued investment and expansion of nuclear and solar infrastructure will be critical in sustaining and building upon this positive trajectory.
Electrification
We estimate the degree of electrification by comparing electricity and total energy emissions. More about methodology.