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Samsung, SK Hynix asked to pay early for South Korea power expansion

September 3, 2026 6:15 pm

[Photo Credit: Reuters]

Korea Electric Power Corp. has proposed that Samsung Electronics pay 20 trillion won ($15 billion) ​in advance for power through to ‌2031 to help fund the expansion of its grid, the Chosun Ilbo reported on Thursday.

It has also ​proposed that SK Hynix (000660.KS), opens new tab pay 5 trillion ​won in advance, the newspaper said, citing ⁠an internal KEPCO document.

State-run ​KEPCO, South Korea’s main utility, said in a ​statement it had suggested an advance payment scheme to major power users including Samsung and SK Hynix, but ​that participation, interest rates, payment amounts and ​payment periods had not been finalised.

Samsung did not have ‌immediate ⁠comment. SK Hynix did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

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KEPCO said the proposed arrangement was intended to help meet rising investment ​needs from ​semiconductor and ⁠AI data centre projects, while providing companies with more certainty over ​timely power supply for new factories.

The utility ​would ⁠use the funds to build transmission and substation networks for chip fabs, while paying the ⁠companies ​interest above the yield on ​2-year Korean government bonds, according to the Chosun report.