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News3 min read·2026-10-21DisconfirmAI Editorial

South Korea Plans Dedicated Grid Standards for AI Data Centers; Lawmaker Warns of Delays for GW-Scale Projects

South Korea's Ministry of Climate plans to introduce dedicated grid connection standards for AI data centers by year-end. Combined with a ban on direct LNG power purchases, lawmakers warn that gigawatt-scale projects already underway face design changes and investment delays.

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Original publication time 2026-10-21 08:13 GMT+8

The South Korean government is pushing to introduce dedicated grid connection technical standards (Grid Codes) for Artificial Intelligence Data Centers (AIDCs) by the end of this year, raising concerns that large-scale AI infrastructure investments could be hindered. According to ZDNet Korea, Rep. Cho Kyung-tae of the People Power Party, a member of the National Assembly's Science, ICT, Broadcasting and Communications Committee, argued that restricting direct power purchases from LNG plants and then imposing new technical hurdles for national grid access could disrupt ongoing data center construction projects.

A Grid Code is a set of technical requirements that generation facilities or large power consumers must meet when connecting to the electricity grid. It includes provisions such as preventing immediate disconnection during grid faults and ensuring voltage stabilization capabilities. The Ministry of Climate, Energy and Environment established an AIDC research committee in August and announced its plan to finalize dedicated grid codes by year-end, citing concerns that rapid fluctuations in power demand driven by AI computing could compromise grid stability.

Rep. Cho highlighted the potential conflict between the government's power supply policy and the new connection regulations. In April, the National Assembly passed an AIDC Special Act that included a provision allowing data centers to purchase power directly from LNG plants. However, due to opposition from the Ministry of Climate, this provision was removed from the final bill passed in May. At the time, the Ministry of Science and ICT and the Ministry of Climate agreed to cooperate on stable power supply via the national grid. Now, forcing operators to rely on the public grid while tightening connection conditions increases their burden, Cho argued.

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This regulatory uncertainty poses a direct threat to massive projects currently in progress. In Ulsan and Donghae, AIDC projects targeting gigawatt (GW) scale have begun initial construction or are preparing to break ground. Since the specific scope and implementation timeline of the new Grid Code remain undefined, developers fear they may need to redesign electrical systems. If the new standards apply retroactively to completed designs, it could lead to increased costs for additional power equipment and construction delays. Furthermore, space occupied by power-related equipment reduces the area available for servers. For instance, if a 1GW data center loses 1% of its server capacity due to added equipment, it forfeits 10MW of computing infrastructure—a scale equivalent to a small-to-medium-sized data center.

International cases also illustrate how power constraints limit AI investment. Reports indicate that Microsoft recently withdrew from a large sovereign AI data center project in Rotton, Essex, UK, after local grid operators stated they could not provide sufficient power until the mid-2030s. Similarly, policy ambiguity in South Korea may exacerbate investor doubts about the feasibility of scaling AI compute. Rep. Cho plans to question the Ministry of Science and ICT during the upcoming parliamentary audit regarding its participation in inter-ministerial task forces to protect existing investments and will press the Ministry of Climate on whether transitional measures will be provided for projects already underway.

Sources

  • 报道出处zdnet.co.kr↗
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