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Busan (pusan) — South Korea

Gas power plant in Busan, South Korea. Approximate location 35.0851, 129.0003.

GasBusanSouth KoreaCCGT · HRSGCO₂ modelled

Busan (pusan) is a 1,800 MW gas power station in Busan, South Korea. It is operated by Korea Southern Power. Based on its capacity (estimated), it can supply roughly 2.0 million homes (estimated). It ranks #26 of 216 South Korea power plants by installed capacity. Commissioned in 2001, it is around 25 years old — relatively modern. Its modelled annual emissions are 2,328,500 t CO₂/yr (Climate TRACE), equivalent to about 543k cars driven for a year. In context, gas supplies about 27.9% of South Korea's electricity; the national grid averages 417 gCO₂/kWh (40.0% low-carbon) (2025).

1,800MW installed capacity
4HRSG unit(s)
2,027,314homes powered (est.)
2,328,500t CO₂ / yr (Climate TRACE)
2001commissioned (~25 yrs)

Plant data: WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0), id WRI1000201.

Data status

Known data

FacilityBusan (pusan) WRI
CountrySouth Korea · Busan WRI
Coordinates35.0851, 129.0003 WRI
FuelGas WRI
MW installed capacity1,800 MW GEM · 2026 · L100000401355; operating plant capacity
Verification noteQuality label backfilled from existing source-backed capacity provenance on 2026-07-05; capacity value was not changed. source-verified
OwnerKorea Southern Power WRI
Commissioned2001 WRI
TechnologyCCGT · HRSG WRI

Modelled source data

CO₂ emissions2,328,500 t CO₂·a⁻¹ modelled · Climate TRACE

Calculated from dataset

Capacity rank in country#26 / 216 calculated
Fuel-specific rank in country#6 / 77 calculated
Capacity vs country/fuel peers3.50× · 515 MW · n=77 calculated
Homes-powered equivalent2,027,314 calculated
Climate14.2°C · HDD 2,014 derived from coordinates
Environmental severityC4 · 45/100 derived from coordinates

Not available

GWh reported / yrNot available not in dataset

Known, modelled and calculated values are kept separate. Missing fields are shown as unavailable.

Data provenance

Source of the capacity and fuel values:

capacity: GEM · 2026 · L100000401355; fuel: WRI GPPD

In context: how this plant compares

At 1,800 MW, Busan (pusan) 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.

~2,328,500 t CO₂/yr (modelled) — in everyday terms

This facility's annual emissions are roughly equivalent to:

42kmillion cubic feet of natural gas burned
543kgasoline cars driven for a year
695wind turbines running for a year
1.0%of the CO₂ from all South Korea power plants with an emissions figure in PowerAtlas

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

Key facts

Share of South Korea gas capacity
3.1% of 58,006 MW across 77 plants in this dataset
Age among peers
7 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

Incheon: 3,052 MW3kIncheonDangjin Combined Cycle power station: 2,406 MW2kDangjin Co…Samchonpo power station: 2,120 MW2kSamchonpo …KOMIPO Incheon: 1,960 MW2kKOMIPO Inc…Boryeong (CC): 1,800 MW2kBoryeong (…Busan (pusan): 1,800 MW2kBusan (pus…Seoincheon: 1,800 MW2kSeoincheonShinincheon: 1,800 MW2kShinincheon

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

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 35.1°N — which shapes how much energy it can produce and how its output varies through the year.

14.2°Cannual mean temp
2,014heating degree-days (base 18°C)
636cooling degree-days (base 18°C)
85 melevation

Monthly mean temperature

J: 2 °CJF: 4 °CFM: 8 °CMA: 13 °CAM: 17 °CMJ: 21 °CJJ: 24 °CJA: 26 °CAS: 22 °CSO: 17 °CON: 11 °CND: 5 °CD26 °C

Heating degree-days here run 18% below 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: 43/100 — 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 corrosive environment (estimated ISO 9223 class C4 — High), with humidity / wetness the leading environmental stress.

C4ISO 9223 corrosivity (indicative)
45/100environmental-severity index
23.3°Cseasonal temperature swing
29 kmdistance to coast

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 #6 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

  • Seoul PV · Solar · 1.3 MW · Gyeongsangnam-do
  • Gimhae · Solar · 1.5 MW · Gyeongsangnam-do
  • BUSAN JUNG-KWAN · Other · 100.3 MW · Busan
  • Kori · Nuclear · 2,773 MW · Busan
  • Samnangjin · Hydro · 600 MW · Gyeongsangnam-do
  • Shin-Kori · Nuclear · 3,340 MW · Busan

Location

Coordinates 35.0851, 129.0003 from WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0). View on OpenStreetMap.

Frequently asked questions

What type of power plant is Busan (pusan)?

Busan (pusan) is a 1,800 MW gas power plant in Busan, South Korea, commissioned in 2001.

Who operates Busan (pusan)?

Busan (pusan) is operated by Korea Southern Power.

How much CO₂ does Busan (pusan) emit?

Busan (pusan) has modelled emissions of about 2,328,500 tonnes of CO₂ per year (Climate TRACE).

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