Gwangyang Works — South Korea
Gas power plant in Jeollanam-do, South Korea. Approximate location 34.9105, 127.7424.
GasJeollanam-doSouth KoreaCO₂ modelled
Gwangyang Works is a 830 MW gas power station in Jeollanam-do, South Korea. It is operated by POSCO. Based on its capacity (estimated), it can supply roughly 935k homes (estimated). It ranks #52 of 216 South Korea power plants by installed capacity. Its modelled annual emissions are 2,506,400 t CO₂/yr (Climate TRACE), equivalent to about 584k 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).
Plant data: WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0), id WRI1029893.
Data status
Known data
Modelled source data
Calculated from dataset
Not available
Known, modelled and calculated values are kept separate. Missing fields are shown as unavailable.
Capacity provenance
The public capacity above is the current source-record value. A 2026 tracker candidate lists 284 MW for Gwangyang steelworks power station, but it is not used as the public primary value until scope is verified (unit vs operating vs installed/project total).
Data provenance
Source of the capacity and fuel values:
capacity: GEM · 2026 · L100000406316; fuel: WRI GPPD
In context: how this plant compares
At 830 MW, Gwangyang Works is well above the median gas plant in South Korea (515 MW). 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.
~2,506,400 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 gas capacity
- 1.4% of 58,006 MW across 77 plants in this dataset
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 POSCO. All plants by this company →
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 (dry winter) climate (Köppen Cwa) — Northern Hemisphere, latitude 34.9°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 11% 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: 46/100 — 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 marine corrosion 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 #28 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
- POSCO OFFGAS · Gas · 284 MW · Jeollanam-do
- Gwangyang POSCO · Gas · 500 MW · Jeollanam-do
- Kwangyang · Gas · 1,126 MW · Jeollanam-do
- Honam · Coal · 500 MW · Jeollanam-do
- Hadong · Coal · 4,000 MW · Jeollanam-do
- Yoesu Lotte · Gas · 80 MW · Jeollanam-do
Location
Coordinates 34.9105, 127.7424 from WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0). View on OpenStreetMap.
Frequently asked questions
What type of power plant is Gwangyang Works?
Gwangyang Works is a 830 MW gas power plant in Jeollanam-do, South Korea.
Who operates Gwangyang Works?
Gwangyang Works is operated by POSCO.
How much CO₂ does Gwangyang Works emit?
Gwangyang Works has modelled emissions of about 2,506,400 tonnes of CO₂ per year (Climate TRACE).