Somjingang (Chilbo) — South Korea

Somjingang (Chilbo) is a 35 MW hydro power plant in Jeollanam-do, South Korea. It is operated by Korea Electric Power Company. Based on its capacity (estimated), it can supply roughly 35k homes (estimated). It ranks #158 of 216 South Korea power plants by installed capacity. Commissioned in 1945, it is around 81 years old — an older, legacy facility. As a non-combustion source, it has no direct CO₂ emissions from generation. In context, hydro supplies about 0.6% 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 WRI1029845.

Data provenance

Source of the capacity and fuel values:

capacity: GEM · 2026 · L100001054830; fuel: WRI GPPD

In context: how this plant compares

At 35 MW, Somjingang (Chilbo) is around the median hydro plant in South Korea (35 MW). Hydropower converts the energy of falling or flowing water into electricity; output depends on rainfall and reservoir level, and large dams also provide grid balancing and storage.

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

Key facts

Share of South Korea hydro capacity

0.6% of 6,216 MW across 36 plants in this dataset

Age among peers

1 of 18 dated hydro plants in South Korea is older

Calculated from the capacity and generation records in this dataset (WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0)).

Capacity vs largest hydro plants in South Korea

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

Owner

Operated by Korea Electric Power Company. All plants by this company →

Local climate & thermal context

This hydro plant converts the energy of falling or flowing water through hydro turbines. It sits in a humid subtropical climate (Köppen Cfa) — 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 3% 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: 51/100 — 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 moderately corrosive environment (estimated ISO 9223 class C3 — Medium), 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 #18 largest hydro power plant of 36 in South Korea by capacity.

South Korea has 36 hydro power plants in this dataset, together about 6,216 MW of capacity.

Nearby power plants

• Seungchon · Hydro · 1 MW · Jeollanam-do
• Gwangju · Waste · 2 MW · Gwangju
• Juksan · Hydro · 1 MW · Jeollanam-do
• Suwan Energy · Gas · 118 MW · Gwangju
• Mokpo · Waste · 2.1 MW · Jeollanam-do
• Yeongnam PV · Solar · 94 MW · Jeollanam-do

Location

Coordinates 34.9191, 126.857 from WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0). View on OpenStreetMap.

Frequently asked questions