Ulsan — South Korea
Oil power plant in Ulsan, South Korea. Approximate location 35.4754, 129.3812.
OilUlsanSouth KoreaCCGT · HRSGCO₂ modelled
Ulsan is a 3,000 MW oil power station in Ulsan, South Korea. It is operated by Korea East West Power. Based on its capacity (estimated), it can supply roughly 2.3 million homes (estimated). It ranks #11 of 216 South Korea power plants by installed capacity. Commissioned in 1995, it is around 31 years old — long-established. Its modelled annual emissions are 5,295,500 t CO₂/yr (Climate TRACE), equivalent to about 1.2 million 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 WRI1000209.
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 1,998 MW for Ulsan 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
Capacity and fuel are the upstream open-dataset record, not yet matched to a 2026 registry or GEM entry.
capacity: WRI GPPD; fuel: WRI GPPD
In context: how this plant compares
At 3,000 MW, Ulsan is well above the median oil plant in South Korea (228 MW). Technically it is described as CCGT; combined-cycle with a heat-recovery steam generator (HRSG). 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.
~5,295,500 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
- 63.7% of 4,708 MW across 5 plants in this dataset
- Age among peers
- 1 of 5 dated oil 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 oil plants in South Korea
Installed capacity (MW), WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0).
Owner
Operated by Korea East West Power. All plants by this company →
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 35.5°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 #1 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
- Ulsan GPS power station · Gas · 1,122 MW · Ulsan
- Yeongnam · Coal · 400 MW · Ulsan
- Ulsan Hanju power station · Gas · 299.2 MW · Ulsan
- Onsan Smelter power station · Gas · 314.5 MW · Ulsan
- Hyundai Ulsan Factory power plant · Oil · 21.6 MW · Ulsan
- Shin-Kori · Nuclear · 3,340 MW · Busan
Location
Coordinates 35.4754, 129.3812 from WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0). View on OpenStreetMap.
Frequently asked questions
What type of power plant is Ulsan?
Ulsan is a 3,000 MW oil power plant in Ulsan, South Korea, commissioned in 1995.
Who operates Ulsan?
Ulsan is operated by Korea East West Power.
How much CO₂ does Ulsan emit?
Ulsan has modelled emissions of about 5,295,500 tonnes of CO₂ per year (Climate TRACE).