South Korea’s electricity authority has issued a power shortage warning as demand for electricity surges amid scorching temperatures. 
 
The Korea Power Exchange announced a level one warning of the five-tier system as power reserves fell below four-and-a-half million kilowatts at 1:34 p.m. Thursday. As of 6 p.m., the warning was still in effect.

The power shortage warning was issued for the first time in 20 days and was the 19th of the summer.

Power reserves temporarily fell to the three million kilowatt level, but began to recover after 2 p.m. when industries reduced power consumption in line with the government’s energy-saving plans.

The electricity authorities saved four-point-two million kilowatts of electricity through demand control on industries. 

Authorities asked industries and the people to cooperate with the government’s energy-saving efforts, expecting power demand will remain at its peak until next Wednesday.