Bugok — South Korea

Bugok is a 1,503 MW gas power station in Chungcheongnam-do, South Korea. It is operated by GS Energy. Based on its capacity (estimated), it can supply roughly 1.7 million homes (estimated). It ranks #32 of 216 South Korea power plants by installed capacity. Commissioned in 2019, it is around 7 years old — recently built. In context, gas supplies about 27.9% of South Korea's electricity; the national grid averages 417 gCO₂/kWh (40.0% low-carbon) (2025).

Plant data: WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0), id WRI1029885.

Data provenance

Capacity and fuel are the upstream open-dataset record, not yet matched to a 2026 registry or GEM entry.

capacity: WRI GPPD; fuel: WRI GPPD

In context: how this plant compares

At 1,503 MW, Bugok is well above the median gas plant in South Korea (515 MW). Technically it is described as CCGT; combined-cycle with a heat-recovery steam generator (HRSG). Gas plants burn natural gas either in open-cycle turbines for fast peaking, or in combined-cycle units that recover exhaust heat in an HRSG to reach roughly 55–62% efficiency — the cleanest-burning fossil option.

Capacity comparison computed from the WRI Global Power Plant Database; fuel-type context is general engineering background.

Key facts

Share of South Korea gas capacity

2.6% of 58,006 MW across 77 plants in this dataset

Age among peers

47 of 67 dated gas plants in South Korea are older

Calculated from the capacity and generation records in this dataset (WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0)).

Capacity vs largest gas plants in South Korea

Installed capacity (MW), WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0).

Owner

Operated by GS Energy.

Local climate & thermal context

This gas plant burns natural gas in a turbine — often in a combined-cycle setup — to generate electricity. It sits in a humid subtropical climate (Köppen Cfa) — Northern Hemisphere, latitude 37.0°N — which shapes how much energy it can produce and how its output varies through the year.

Monthly mean temperature

Heating degree-days here run 18% above the median power plant in this dataset — a proxy for how much extra energy heated equipment must replace through its surfaces in winter.

Climate heat-demand index: 59/100 — this site sits in the mid third of the power plants we cover by heating degree-days.

A gas turbine here also runs ~0% below its ISO (15°C) rating at this annual mean (typical CCGT curve, estimate).

Climate normals: WorldClim 2.1 (1970–2000 monthly normals, 10 arc-min, CC BY 4.0); zone: Köppen-Geiger world climate classification (Kottek et al. 2006, 0.5° grid). Degree-days & heat-demand index computed by PowerAtlas — a modelled heat-demand proxy, not a measured site figure.

Site climate & environmental severity

This site sits in a moderately corrosive environment (estimated ISO 9223 class C3 — Medium), with humidity / wetness the leading environmental stress.

Indicative estimate via the ISO 9223:2012 informative method (atmospheric corrosivity from temperature, time-of-wetness and airborne salinity), using WorldClim climate normals, the Köppen-Geiger class and coast distance. Indicative, not a measured corrosion rate.

How it compares & nearby plants

The #12 largest gas power plant of 77 in South Korea by capacity.

South Korea has 77 gas power plants in this dataset, together about 58,006 MW of capacity.

Nearby power plants

• Bugok Biomass · Biomass · 105 MW · Chungcheongnam-do
• Dangjin Combined Cycle power station · Gas · 2,406 MW · Chungcheongnam-do
• Dangjin Bio power station · Biomass · 210 MW · Chungcheongnam-do
• Pyeongtaek · Oil · 1,400 MW · Chungcheongnam-do
• Hwasung KDHC · Gas · 510 MW · Chungcheongnam-do
• Pyeongtaek · Gas · 1,348 MW · Gyeonggi-do

Location

Coordinates 36.959, 126.7825 from WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0). View on OpenStreetMap.

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