Hyundai Ulsan Factory power plant — South Korea

Hyundai Ulsan Factory power plant is a 21.6 MW oil power plant in Ulsan, South Korea. It is operated by Hyundai Motor Co [100%]. Based on its capacity (estimated), it can supply roughly 16k homes (estimated). It ranks #166 of 216 South Korea power plants by installed capacity. Commissioned in 2025, it is around 1 years old — recently built. Its modelled annual emissions are 6,657 t CO₂/yr (Climate TRACE), equivalent to about 1.6k cars driven for a year. In context, oil supplies about 1.0% 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 CT-5482.

Data provenance

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

capacity: Climate TRACE; fuel: Climate TRACE

In context: how this plant compares

At 21.6 MW, Hyundai Ulsan Factory power plant is below the median oil plant in South Korea (228 MW). Oil-fired plants burn heavy fuel oil or diesel, usually as peaking or backup capacity on islands and grids without gas pipelines; high fuel cost keeps their utilisation low.

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

~6,657 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 oil capacity

0.5% of 4,708 MW across 5 plants in this dataset

Age among peers

4 of 5 dated oil 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 oil plants in South Korea

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

Owner

Operated by Hyundai Motor Co [100%].

Local climate & thermal context

This oil plant burns oil or diesel to drive turbines or reciprocating engines. It sits in a humid subtropical climate (Köppen Cfa) — Northern Hemisphere, latitude 35.6°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 22% 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: 42/100 — 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 an aggressive, high-corrosion environment (estimated ISO 9223 class C5 — Very high), with marine salt 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 #5 largest oil power plant of 5 in South Korea by capacity.

South Korea has 5 oil power plants in this dataset, together about 4,708 MW of capacity.

Nearby power plants

• Yeongnam · Coal · 400 MW · Ulsan
• Ulsan GPS power station · Gas · 1,122 MW · Ulsan
• Ulsan Hanju power station · Gas · 299.2 MW · Ulsan
• Ulsan · Oil · 3,000 MW · Ulsan
• Onsan Smelter power station · Gas · 314.5 MW · Ulsan
• Wolsong · Nuclear · 2,799 MW · Ulsan

Location

Coordinates 35.5728, 129.373 from WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0). View on OpenStreetMap.

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