As a heat wave continues, concerns are growing among residents of an apartment complex in Cheongju, North Chungcheong Province, after a prolonged power outage was announced for the replacement of substation equipment.
According to the management office of Sannam Jugong Complex 4 in Cheongju on the 26th, the apartment complex will carry out replacement work on substation equipment, including transformers, in its electrical room from the 27th through the 3rd of next month.
During the first two days of the work, the 27th and 28th, power supply to the entire Complex 4 will be cut off for high-voltage operations. After that, power will be cut off building by building in sequence from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.
On the 3rd of next month, the final day of the work, the use of elevators and water supply will also be suspended. The problem is that Cheongju's daytime highs are forecast to reach 33 to 34 degrees Celsius during the construction period.
Residents are concerned that a prolonged blackout amid the heat wave could affect the health and safety of elderly residents and those with limited mobility. Concerns have also been raised not only for patients who use medications requiring refrigeration, such as insulin, but also over the possibility that food stored in refrigerators could spoil.
One resident said, "They tell us they've borrowed the auditorium of a nearby elementary school so we can escape the heat there, but we're not flood victims. Telling elderly people and cancer patients to spend several hours at a school in the sweltering heat is a measure completely out of touch with reality." The resident added, "The management office and the residents' representative council should have adjusted the construction schedule to avoid the heat wave season."
The management office maintains that the work can no longer be delayed. It explained that although the work was originally planned to be completed before June, the schedule was pushed back after transformer deliveries were delayed due to the fallout from the war in the Middle East.
A management office official explained, "Last summer, transformers broke down four times due to increased power usage, causing the entire complex to lose power, and complaints followed one after another, so this work is intended to prevent accidents."
The official added, "After the residents' representative council discussed the need to replace the substation equipment early this year, we held a resident referendum in March and obtained 83% approval," adding, "Since the contract has already been finalized, it is difficult to further postpone the work."
To reduce inconvenience to residents caused by the outage, the management office plans to operate the auditoriums of nearby Hansol Elementary School and Sugok Elementary School as temporary shelters and to open senior centers. It plans to separately guide residents with limited mobility so they can use facilities such as senior centers.
