The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy established the basic plan for electrical safety management for the first time this year. This measure is in preparation for the increasing size of damages that could occur in the event of electrical accidents as power-intensive facilities like data centers become more widespread.
On the 14th, the ministry held the 35th Energy Committee meeting and noted that it reviewed the agenda for the first basic plan for electrical safety management.
The plan includes measures to strengthen tailored safety management for vulnerable areas of electrical safety, such as multi-use facilities, industrial complexes, and socially disadvantaged groups over the next five years.
The ministry plans to systematically manage newly added sectors like escape rooms, kids' cafes, and comic cafes as part of the "electrical safety inspection for multi-user facilities." Manufacturing facilities residing in industrial complexes must undergo safety inspections in advance if they change or add electrical equipment.
Additionally, the plan includes content such as flexible electrical safety management focused on the field and the promotion of safety technology innovation using advanced technology. The government intends to support the development of the electrical safety industry by creating a foundation led by the private sector.
A ministry official explained, "Electricity is a vital energy source widely used across all areas of life, from residential facilities to industrial facilities and power generation" and added that "since electrical equipment consists of generators, transformers, circuit breakers, and motors in an organic and complex manner, the possibility of accidents exists." He continued, "It was necessary to enhance safety policies to reflect changes in energy policies and industrial environments."
At the meeting, the ministry also reviewed the emergency energy supply plan and the third basic plan for gas safety management.
The energy supply plan developed various emergency measures based on different scenarios, considering the changing energy supply environment due to recent factors such as ▲electrification and expansion of heat usage, ▲deepening geopolitical uncertainties from the Ukraine-Russia war, and ▲the frequency of extreme weather conditions like heavy rainfall and sustained high temperatures.
In response to changes in the energy mix, the management targets were revised from electricity, crude oil, gas, and coal to electricity, crude oil, gas, and heat. As the volatility of the power system has increased due to the rise in renewable energy, the crisis management in the power sector has been subdivided from supply to both supply and system. In the event of a supply disaster involving two or more energy sources, it was decided to establish the "Energy Comprehensive Emergency Supply Countermeasures Headquarters" or the "Energy Comprehensive Central Accident Response Headquarters" depending on the severity of the situation.
The basic plan for gas safety management prepares for growth in the hydrogen economy, unlike the second plan established in 2020. It aims to develop safety standards for new hydrogen technologies and expand related infrastructure. Additionally, considering the increase in aging gas facilities, the plan proposes to actively utilize information technology (IT) to transition to a digital-based continuous safety management system while encouraging the strengthening of private sector self-regulation in safety management.