Bukpyung power station — South Korea

Bukpyung power station is a 1,190 MW coal power station in Gangwon-do, South Korea. It is operated by GS E&R Korea East-West Power Co Samtan. Based on its capacity (estimated), it can supply roughly 1.5 million homes (estimated). It ranks #36 of 216 South Korea power plants by installed capacity. Commissioned in 2017, it is around 9 years old — relatively modern. Its modelled annual emissions are 3,249,100 t CO₂/yr (Climate TRACE), equivalent to about 757k cars driven for a year. In context, coal supplies about 31.1% 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 WRI1075819.

Data provenance

Source of the capacity and fuel values:

capacity: GEM · 2026 · L100000103458; fuel: WRI GPPD

In context: how this plant compares

At 1,190 MW, Bukpyung power station is well above the median coal plant in South Korea (400 MW). Technically it is described as supercritical. Coal plants burn pulverised coal to raise high-pressure steam for a turbine; they run as baseload but are the most carbon-intensive mainstream source and the first targeted for retirement or efficiency retrofits.

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

~3,249,100 t CO₂/yr (modelled) — in everyday terms

This facility's annual emissions are roughly equivalent to:

Equivalencies via US EPA Greenhouse Gas Equivalencies; modelled emissions from Climate TRACE.

Key facts

Share of South Korea coal capacity

2.5% of 46,928 MW across 34 plants in this dataset

Age among peers

14 of 25 dated coal 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 coal plants in South Korea

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

Owner

Operated by GS E&R Korea East-West Power Co Samtan.

Local climate & thermal context

This coal plant burns coal to raise high-pressure steam that spins a turbine-generator. It sits in a humid subtropical climate (Köppen Cfa) — Northern Hemisphere, latitude 37.5°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 6% 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: 52/100 — this site sits in the mid third of the power plants we cover by heating degree-days.

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 corrosive environment (estimated ISO 9223 class C4 — High), 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 coal power plant of 34 in South Korea by capacity.

South Korea has 34 coal power plants in this dataset, together about 46,928 MW of capacity.

Nearby power plants

• Donghae PV · Solar · 1.4 MW · Gangwon-do
• Donghae power station · Coal · 400 MW · Gangwon-do
• Samcheok Anthracite power station · Coal · 100 MW · Gangwon
• Samcheok Blue power station · Coal · 1,050 MW · Gangwon-do
• Daejin nuclear power plant · Nuclear · 3,000 MW · Gangwon
• Taebaek Wind park · Wind · 18 MW · Gangwon-do

Location

Coordinates 37.4805, 129.1433 from WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0). View on OpenStreetMap.

Frequently asked questions