Unbong — North Korea

Unbong is a 400 MW hydro power station in Hwanghae-bukto, North Korea. Based on its capacity (estimated), it can supply roughly 400k homes (estimated). It ranks #12 of 36 North Korea power plants by installed capacity. Commissioned in 1960, it is around 66 years old — an older, legacy facility. As a non-combustion source, it has no direct CO₂ emissions from generation. In context, hydro supplies about 62.7% of North Korea's electricity; the national grid averages 341 gCO₂/kWh (63.4% low-carbon) (2024).

Plant data: WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0), id WRI1019842.

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 400 MW, Unbong is well above the median hydro plant in North Korea (225 MW). Technically it is described as conventional storage. 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 North Korea hydro capacity

10.5% of 3,807 MW across 15 plants in this dataset

Age among peers

1 of 4 dated hydro plants in North 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 North Korea

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

Local climate & thermal context

This hydro plant converts the energy of falling or flowing water through hydro turbines. It sits in a monsoon hot-summer continental climate (Köppen Dwa) — Northern Hemisphere, latitude 38.6°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 30% 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: 68/100 — this site sits in the top 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 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 #4 largest hydro power plant of 15 in North Korea by capacity.

North Korea has 15 hydro power plants in this dataset, together about 3,807 MW of capacity.

Nearby power plants

• December (Nampo) power station · Coal · 200 MW · P'yongan-namdo
• December 12th Power plant · Coal · 100 MW · P'yongan-namdo
• Sariwon · Coal · 200 MW · Hwanghae-bukto
• East Pyongyang power station · Coal · 500 MW · Pyongyang
• Pyongyang power station · Coal · 700 MW · Pyongyang
• River Changja · Hydro · 81 MW · Hwanghae-namdo

Location

Coordinates 38.5979, 125.4621 from WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0). View on OpenStreetMap.

Frequently asked questions