SEOUL, Sept. 9 (Xinhua) -- South Korea's household electricity bill was estimated to rise in double digits last month when an unusually prolonged heatwave plagued the country, Yonhap news agency said Monday, citing Korea Electric Power Corp.(KEPCO).

The average electricity charge per household jumped 13 percent from a year earlier to 63,610 won (47.5 U.S. dollars) in August, according to KEPCO estimate.

It was based on preliminary data, and last month's power rates will be fixed at the end of September.

The per-household usage of power averaged 363 kilowatt-hours (kWh) in August, up 9 percent compared with the same month of last year.

The electricity bill grew faster than power usage as the country applies a progressive rate system to household electricity usage.

About 76 percent of the total households were estimated to pay more electricity costs this August than last August.

The unusually sweltering heat hit the country throughout August, lifting power demand for air conditioning from households.

The number of heatwave days, or days when the daily high surges above 33 degrees Celsius, stood at 16 in August, marking the second-highest since relevant data began to be compiled in 1973.

The number of tropical nights, at which temperatures stay above 25 degrees Celsius from 6:01 p.m. to 9:00 a.m. the following day, reached a new high of 11.3 days in August. Enditem

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