Pyongyang power station

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Pyongyang power station (평양 화력발전 연합기업소) is an operating power station of at least 700-megawatts (MW) in Pyongyang, North Korea.

Location

Table 1: Project-level location details

Plant name	Location	Coordinates (WGS 84)
Pyongyang power station	Pyongyang, Pyongyang, North Korea	39.009295, 125.710939 (exact)

The map below shows the exact location of the power station.

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Unit-level coordinates (WGS 84):

• Unit 1, Unit 10, Unit 11, Unit 2, Unit 3, Unit 4, Unit 5, Unit 6, Unit 7, Unit 8, Unit 9: 39.009295, 125.710939

Project Details

Table 2: Unit-level details

Unit name	Status	Fuel(s)	Capacity (MW)	Technology	Start year
Unit 1	operating	coal: anthracite	50	subcritical	1965
Unit 10	operating	coal: anthracite	100	subcritical	2018
Unit 11	operating	coal: anthracite	100	subcritical	2018
Unit 2	operating	coal: anthracite	50	subcritical	1965
Unit 3	operating	coal: anthracite	50	subcritical	1965
Unit 4	operating	coal: anthracite	50	subcritical	1965
Unit 5	operating	coal: anthracite	50	subcritical	1968
Unit 6	operating	coal: anthracite	50	subcritical	1968
Unit 7	operating	coal: anthracite	50	subcritical	1968
Unit 8	operating	coal: anthracite	50	subcritical	1968
Unit 9	operating	coal: anthracite, fossil liquids: unknown	100	subcritical	1970

Table 3: Unit-level ownership and operator details

Unit name	Owner	Parent
Unit 1	Pyongyang Power Plant [100%]	Pyongyang Power Plant [100.0%]
Unit 10	Pyongyang Power Plant [100%]	Pyongyang Power Plant [100.0%]
Unit 11	Pyongyang Power Plant [100%]	Pyongyang Power Plant [100.0%]
Unit 2	Pyongyang Power Plant [100%]	Pyongyang Power Plant [100.0%]
Unit 3	Pyongyang Power Plant [100%]	Pyongyang Power Plant [100.0%]
Unit 4	Pyongyang Power Plant [100%]	Pyongyang Power Plant [100.0%]
Unit 5	Pyongyang Power Plant [100%]	Pyongyang Power Plant [100.0%]
Unit 6	Pyongyang Power Plant [100%]	Pyongyang Power Plant [100.0%]
Unit 7	Pyongyang Power Plant [100%]	Pyongyang Power Plant [100.0%]
Unit 8	Pyongyang Power Plant [100%]	Pyongyang Power Plant [100.0%]
Unit 9	Pyongyang Power Plant [100%]	Pyongyang Power Plant [100.0%]

Background

A 2015 report by the Korea Development Bank (KDB산업은행) listed the power station capacity as 500 MW and provided various details about the station, including the following:

• Started construction in 1961 with full operations in 1968
• It was built with Soviet support to supply electricity to the Pyongyang Industrial Zone and to solve heating problems in Pyongyang;
• Units 1 to 4 (4x50 MW) were put into in 1965, Units 5 to 8 (4x50 MW) between 1966 and 1968, Unit 9 (1x100 MW) in 1970;
• In 1998, a ceremony was held for the modernization of power generation facilities supported by UNDP;
• It can co-fire with oil;
• It uses coal supplied from the Suncheon districts (Sinchang, Yeongdae, Cheonseong youth and 2.8 Jikdong youth coal mines, etc.), the Deokcheon district, the Gaecheon district coal fields, and the Heuknyeong coal mines from the Gangdong coal field in the northern Pyeongnam region.

As of November 2023, Planet imagery showed that the power station's stacks were actively issuing smoke, indicating that at least some of the station's capacity was still operating.

2018 Expansion presumed

In 2021, the Ministry of Unification portal summarized the following (Google Translate):

• In 2018, with the support of used equipment from China, 200 MW was added
• Total power generation facility capacity is 700 MW (eight 50 MW generators (7 units made in Russia, 1 unit in West Germany), 3 units of 100 MW class generator (1 unit manufactured by AEG in West Germany, 2 units made in China), 9 boilers Large (Made in Russia, 210 tons/h))

The power station is now presumed to be 700 MW. Another Western source also referred to the plant's capacity at 700MW following the addition of two 100MW Chinese units in July 2018.

Other reported capacities

An undated Korea Electricity Industry Promotion Association (KOEMA) power system spreadsheet listed the capacity as 500 MW (built between 1961 and 1968). The spreadsheet noted (Google Translate): "Built with the support of the former Soviet Union. Combined use of coal and oil, frequent breakdowns and power loss due to lack of hierarchical equipment and increased heat loss."

An updated report '2020 State of Industry' by the Korea Development Bank (Volume 1) reported the plant's capacity at 500 MW.

In November 2023, the website "Database.earth" reported the power plant's peak capacity at 400 MW, but did not specify the distribution between units or cite a data source.

As of November 2024, the Korean governmental website referred to the Pyongyang power station's capacity as 500,000 kW (500 MW).

Additional potential expansion (2024)

In April 2024, NK News reported that construction of an expansion project was underway at a coal-fired power station in Pyongyang, referred to as the "Pyongyang coal power plant." Reporting did not specify the degree to which capacity would be expanded, nor was it clear whether the news referred to the Pyongyang power station or the East Pyongyang power station. The cited satellite imagery analysis by NK Pro was not publicly available for reference.

Environmental impact

A 2012 article noted the combined heat and power plant was highly inefficient by modern standards and suffered from regular equipment failures. Authorities were reportedly considering closing the power station, and hoping to replace the power generated with capacity from the recently completed, smaller hydroelectric Heechon power station.

More recent articles have also referenced the serious public health and environmental impacts of the aging power station. According to a 2019 article, there was "talk of relocating power plants to the provinces since the time of Kim Il-sung because of air pollution, but we have not been able to move the power plants because we fear that electricity will not come." The article referenced a report on "Policy Recommendations for Coal Power Generation Considering Environment, Economic, and Technological Aspects" prepared in 2017 by the Korea Private Power Generation Association. It also noted North Korean authorities have been aware of the inconveniences of residents due to old power plants for a long time, but they have been passively responding to power plants because they supply the areas where key executives of major power agencies live.

The plant continues to operate despite deteriorated equipment and lack of a comprehensive maintenance program. Satellite images during 2020 showed smoke issuing from both of the complex’s stacks and regular rail activity delivering coal. The imagery also indicated that low-level maintenance and minor infrastructure changes at the complex.

Articles and Resources

Additional data

To access additional data, including an interactive map of coal-fired power stations, a downloadable dataset, and summary data, please visit the Global Coal Plant Tracker on the Global Energy Monitor website.