Air conditioning and electricity bills

Running the air conditioner steadily at a sensible temperature usually beats switching it on and off.

How billing works

• Household electricity uses progressive bands: the more you use, the higher the unit rate.
• Bands are sometimes eased temporarily in summer — check KEPCO's notices.
• It may be included in management fees or billed separately. See utility-bills.
• Check and pay through KEPCO's Cyber Branch or on 123.

Saving on air conditioning

1. Set a sensible temperature. Don't drive it too low.
2. Use a fan alongside it — the room feels cooler.
3. Clean the filter often. A clogged filter uses more power.
4. Block sunlight with curtains or blinds.
5. Keep doors and windows closed while running it.
6. Don't obstruct the outdoor unit — it needs airflow.

Summer health

• Large indoor–outdoor temperature gaps strain the body.
• Don't sit in the direct draught.
• Ventilate several times a day.
• Watch out for heat illness as well. See heat-illness.

Where to go

• 123 KEPCO (billing, outages)
• KEPCO Cyber Branch cyber.kepco.co.kr
• Building management office (whether it's in the fees)
• Community centre (energy support schemes)
• 1544-4500 Korea Gas Safety Corporation

Questions people ask

My bill suddenly jumped. Check the usage and the meter-reading period. 123 can walk you through the detail.

The air conditioner has broken. Who fixes it? It depends on the lease. If it is fixed equipment supplied with the property, repair may be the landlord's duty. Check the contract and tell them. See landlord-dispute.

Are there discounts? There are discount schemes for large families, welfare recipients and others. See utility-discount and ask 123 or your community centre.

The power keeps tripping in summer. You may be exceeding the breaker's capacity. Run fewer high-power appliances at once, and if it repeats ask the management office or an electrician to inspect.

Take care

Don't plug high-power appliances into a daisy-chained extension. It is a fire risk. An air conditioner is safest on its own socket. Piling objects around the outdoor unit can cause overheating.

Related

utility-bills · heating-ondol · utility-discount · heat-illness · fire-emergency

Source

Korea Electric Power Corporation home.kepco.co.kr / As of 2026-08