South Korea's power demand surged to a new high last month as the nation endured prolonged heat waves and tropical nights.

According to the Korea Power Exchange on Sunday, peak electricity demand in July averaged 85 gigawatts, an increase of five-point-six percent compared to the same period last year.

This marks the highest July figure since the government began tracking such data in 1993.

The reading comes close to the all-time monthly record of 87-point-eight gigawatts, set in August of last year.

The spike in energy use coincided with unusually intense heat, as July saw 15 days of heat waves with daily highs exceeding 33 degrees Celsius, according to the Korea Meteorological Administration.

The figure is more than four times the July average of three-point-four days, based on 53 years of data compiled since 1973, when the nation started compiling related data.