The "Customized Energy Cashback" system, which provides cash-equivalent rewards for even a small reduction in household electricity usage, is now being fully implemented. The key improvement is that the scope of rewards has been expanded beyond simply reducing overall monthly usage to include reductions during summer peak hours and shifting smart appliance usage to off-peak hours in the fall.

■ Cashback for Reducing Electricity by Just 1% from July to December... Up to 120 Won per kWh Households enrolled in the residential energy cashback program will receive benefits based on their performance if they reduce electricity usage by 1% or more from July to December 2025. Previously, a certain threshold of savings had to be achieved, but the barrier has been lowered so that even small savings are reflected in the rewards.

The savings amount is calculated by comparing usage with the average electricity consumption of the same month over the previous two years. Based on the savings performance, up to 120 won per kWh is applied, with the recognized savings rate capped at a maximum of 30%.

■ Additional Summer Peak-Hour Cashback... 500 Won per kWh, Up to 10,000 Won per Month Households that reduce their electricity usage during the peak hours of summer, when power demand is concentrated, will receive a separate additional cashback. This targets households enrolled in the residential energy cashback program that have an Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) smart meter installed.

If electricity usage is reduced by 1 kWh or more between 5 p.m. and 8 p.m. on weekdays in July and August, an additional 500 won per kWh of savings can be received. The baseline for comparison is the average electricity usage during the same time period over the previous two years, with a payment limit of up to 10,000 won per household per month.

■ In Fall, Benefits Just for Shifting Usage Times... Smart Appliance Cashback In the fall, cashback can be earned simply by shifting the operating hours of home appliances to daytime hours when demand is lower, even without reducing overall usage. The goal is to disperse power demand.

Subscribers to the smart appliance cashback program who use eligible products between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. on weekends and holidays in September and October will receive a benefit of 100 won per kWh. A maximum of 3 kWh per hour is included in the calculation.

Eligible products include washing machines, dryers, dishwashers, and clothing care systems from Samsung Electronics and LG Electronics. Even if a household owns these products, they must complete the necessary steps, such as subscribing to the smart appliance cashback program and linking the devices, for the savings to be properly tracked.

■ Conditions Vary by Program... Detailed Confirmation Required This system is designed to support both households that reduce their actual electricity usage and those that can adjust their usage times. The residential energy cashback and the additional summer peak-hour cashback can be applied simultaneously if the conditions are met, allowing households that reduce their typical usage while also lowering afternoon power consumption to maximize their benefits.

However, the operational periods, eligibility criteria, and electricity calculation standards differ for each program. Whether cashback applies depends on factors such as AMI installation, smart appliance eligibility, and the status of application and device registration. Therefore, participants must check the detailed conditions before enrolling.

[This article was written with the assistance of AI. The energy cashback payment amounts, eligible products, application requirements, and operational periods may change according to the policies of the relevant authorities. Before participating, please verify your enrollment status, smart meter installation, eligible appliances, and cashback calculation conditions through official announcements.]