Onsan Smelter power station — South Korea
Gas power plant in Ulsan, South Korea. Approximate location 35.4234, 129.3526.
GasUlsanSouth KoreaCCGT · HRSGGE Power: 6F.03CO₂ modelled
Onsan Smelter power station is a 314.5 MW gas power station in Ulsan, South Korea. It is operated by Korea Zinc Co Ltd. Based on its capacity (estimated), it can supply roughly 354k homes (estimated). It ranks #97 of 216 South Korea power plants by installed capacity. Commissioned in 2021, it is around 5 years old — recently built. Its modelled annual emissions are 533,270 t CO₂/yr (Climate TRACE), equivalent to about 124k 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 CT-5458.
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.
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 314.5 MW, Onsan Smelter power station is below the median gas plant in South Korea (515 MW). Technically it is described as CCGT; combined-cycle with a heat-recovery steam generator (HRSG); GE Power: 6F.03. 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.
~533,270 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
- 0.5% of 58,006 MW across 77 plants in this dataset
- Age among peers
- 50 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 Korea Zinc Co Ltd.
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 35.4°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.
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 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 #58 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
- Ulsan · Oil · 3,000 MW · Ulsan
- Ulsan GPS power station · Gas · 1,122 MW · Ulsan
- Ulsan Hanju power station · Gas · 299.2 MW · Ulsan
- Yeongnam · Coal · 400 MW · Ulsan
- Shin-Kori · Nuclear · 3,340 MW · Busan
- Kori · Nuclear · 2,773 MW · Busan
Location
Coordinates 35.4234, 129.3526 from WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0). View on OpenStreetMap.
Frequently asked questions
What type of power plant is Onsan Smelter power station?
Onsan Smelter power station is a 314.5 MW gas power plant in Ulsan, South Korea, commissioned in 2021.
Who operates Onsan Smelter power station?
Onsan Smelter power station is operated by Korea Zinc Co Ltd.
How much CO₂ does Onsan Smelter power station emit?
Onsan Smelter power station has modelled emissions of about 533,270 tonnes of CO₂ per year (Climate TRACE).