East Pyongyang power station
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East Pyongyang power station (동평양화력발전소) is an operating power station of at least 200-megawatts (MW) in Pyongyang, North Korea.
Location
Table 1: Project-level location details
| Plant name | Location | Coordinates (WGS 84) |
|---|---|---|
| East Pyongyang power station | Pyongyang, Pyongyang, North Korea | 38.969298, 125.687584 (exact) |
Unit-level coordinates (WGS 84):
- Unit 1, Unit 2, Unit 3, Unit 4: 38.969298, 125.687584
Project Details
Table 2: Unit-level details
| Unit name | Status | Fuel(s) | Capacity (MW) | Technology | Start year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unit 1 | Operating | coal: unknown | 50 | subcritical | 1993 |
| Unit 2 | Operating | coal: unknown | 50 | subcritical | 1993 |
| Unit 3 | Operating | coal: unknown | 50 | subcritical | 1993 |
| Unit 4 | Operating | coal: unknown | 50 | subcritical | 1993 |
Table 3: Unit-level ownership and operator details
| Unit name | Owner | Parent |
|---|---|---|
| Unit 1 | Ministry of Electric Power (North Korea) [100%] | Ministry of Electric Power (North Korea) [100.0%] |
| Unit 2 | Ministry of Electric Power (North Korea) [100%] | Ministry of Electric Power (North Korea) [100.0%] |
| Unit 3 | Ministry of Electric Power (North Korea) [100%] | Ministry of Electric Power (North Korea) [100.0%] |
| Unit 4 | Ministry of Electric Power (North Korea) [100%] | Ministry of Electric Power (North Korea) [100.0%] |
Background
The East Pyongyang power station is a coal-fired thermal plant that was completed in 1989. Sponsored by the Soviet Union as a public works project, and designed by the Russian-based Chrome Energy Project Laboratory, the plant was one of 19 such projects. It currently provides electricity to Pyongyang's eastern region and the suburbs. The power station provides hot water to residents and a catfish farm.[1] It is a combined heat and power (CHP) plant.[2]
According to North Korean news reports in October 2023, operators were carrying out "mass technology innovation campaigns" (Google Translate) at the East Pyongyang power station.[3] While exact details of the technological innovations were unavailable at the time, reports indicated that the innovations would increase the power plant's production and possibly extend its operational lifetime.[4][5]
Potential expansion
Reporting in April 2024 suggested that, based on satellite imagery analysis by NK Pro, an expansion was underway at the East Pyongyang power station.[6][7] According to the news, "the DPRK began preparing land west of the East Pyongyang Thermal Power Plant for construction as early as Oct. 2020, before excavating ground for three large cooling towers in December that year."[7] While the analysis and report were not publicly available by NK Pro, Planet imagery from May 2020 to May 2024 indeed appeared to show evidence of ground work directly west and southwest of the existing East Pyongyang power station units. Three large circles appeared to have been excavated, possibly in preparation for building cooling towers, but foundational construction did not appear to have begun as of May 2024.
Capacity uncertainty
The power station has been reported as having a 100 MW, 200 MW, 500 MW, and 800 MW capacity. In addition, the operating capacity is likely smaller than the capacity installed. The power station is primarily focused on heat and hot water supply during many times of the year.[8]
(1) A 2015 report by the Korea Development Bank (KDB산업은행) provided background on the power station, identifying a 100 MW operating capacity. It provided the following timeline of events at the power station based on a 2014 source (Google Translate):[9][8]
- 1989: Started construction
- 1992: Unit 1 commissioning
- 1994: Unit 1 started operations
- 2000: Major repairs for Boiler No. 2 and Turbine No. 1
- 2001: Major repairs to generator No. 2 in progress
- 2002: Establishment of a catfish factory utilizing wastewater from a power plant
- 2003: Maintenance of generator No. 1 in progress
- 2004: Renovation of coal carrier at Untan workplace, remodelling of power generation facilities and remodelling of production technology process
- 2005: No. 2 boiler repair work in progress
- 2008: Transmission line relocation under the supervision of the power transmission line construction company
- 2010: Introduction of scientific facility operation system by computer to turbine workplace
An updated report '2020 State of Industry' by the Korea Development Bank (Volume 1) continued to report the plant's capacity at 100 MW.[10] So did the summary of 'Thermal Power Plants' on the Ministry of Unification's website.[11]
(2) According to another 2012 news article, the plant – reportedly 200 MW – was modernized in 2008.[12]
A 2016 report by the North Korea Development Institute also noted a 200 MW capacity.[13]
(3) According to S&P Global data, two new units (2x300 MW) may have been added to an existing 200 MW coal capacity in 2010, for a total of 800 MW.[14] The facilities do not seem considerably different based on 2000 to 2020 Google Earth imagery though, so this seems unlikely.
(4) An undated Korea Electricity Industry Promotion Association (KOEMA) power system spreadsheet listed the capacity as 500 MW.[1][15]
As of May 2024, the North Korean government's Information Portal System reported the East Pyongyang power station's total capacity as 500 MW.[16]
Public health impacts
In 2017, a World Health Organization report found North Korea's air pollution mortality rate to be the highest in the world (238.4 deaths per 100,000 people). Coal was a major contributor to the levels of pollution, although not much action has been taken by the federal government to combat this as of yet.[17]
Articles and Resources
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 "East Pyongyang Thermal Power Station," Wikimapia
- ↑ "Status and Future of the North Korean Minerals Sector," Edward Yoon, for Nautilus Institute, January 6, 2011
- ↑ 락관에 넘쳐 증산투쟁의 불길 세차게 지펴올린다, The Rodong Sinmun, Oct. 21, 2023
- ↑ 2023년의 투쟁에 5개년계획수행의 관건이 달려있다 모두다 인민경제발전 12개 중요고지점령에로! 지난해 같은 시기에 비해 수십억kWh의 전력을 증산, 조선륙일오편집사, Oct. 18, 2023
- ↑ 북 "올들어 전력 수십억kwh 증산...정비보수, 수력발전 가동율 높아", SPN news, Oct. 18, 2023
- ↑ North Korea Expands Pyongyang Coal Power Plant to Address Electricity Shortages, Trimfeed, April 25, 2024
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 North Korea expanding aging coal power plant in bid to fix electricity shortages, NK Pro (behind paywall), April 23, 2024
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 “동평양화력발전소,” Ministry of Unification, North Korea Information Portal (nkinfo.unikorea.go.kr)
- ↑ “The North Korea’s Industry” (북한의산업.pdf), KDB산업은행, December 2015, available for download at North Korea Information Portal (nkinfo.unikorea.go.kr), Ministry of Unification
- ↑ [download at the bottom of the page, info on page 284 and 322 (2021). "2020 The North Korea's Industry - Volume 1". nkinfo.unikorea.go.kr.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ↑ Ministry of Unification. "Major Power Plants". https://nkinfo.unikorea.go.kr/. Retrieved January 2023.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|access-date=(help); External link in|website= - ↑ "DPRK could close Pyongyang Thermal Power Plant," North Korean Economy Watch, May 8, 2012
- ↑ “최신 북한 전력산업 동향 및 향후 협력전망,” 북한발전연구원, 2016
- ↑ S&P Global, Platts Market Data: Electric Power, accessed in 2021
- ↑ "화력발전소(중형급) 위치 및 정보," 남북 전력발전, accessed November 2021
- ↑ 남북 전력발전, 한국전기산업진흥회(KOEMA), Accessed: May 16, 2024
- ↑ "North Korea's Push for More Coal Clouds Environmental Future," Voice of America, January 28, 2019
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.
