Samcheok Green power station
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Samcheok Green power station (삼척그린파워) is an operating power station of at least 2044-megawatts (MW) in Hosan, Wondeok, Samcheok, Gangwon, South Korea. It is also known as 삼척그린파워.
Location
Table 1: Project-level location details
| Plant name | Location | Coordinates (WGS 84) |
|---|---|---|
| Samcheok Green power station | Hosan, Wondeok, Samcheok, Gangwon, South Korea | 37.186, 129.341822 (exact) |
Unit-level coordinates (WGS 84):
- Unit 1, Unit 2: 37.186, 129.341822
Project Details
Table 2: Unit-level details
| Unit name | Status | Fuel(s) | Capacity (MW) | Technology | Start year | Retired year | Emergency/Backup |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unit 1 | Operating | coal: unknown, bioenergy: wood & other biomass (solids)[1] | 1022 | ultra-supercritical | 2016 | 2046 (planned) | False |
| Unit 2 | Operating | coal: unknown, bioenergy: wood & other biomass (solids)[1] | 1022 | ultra-supercritical | 2017 | 2047 (planned) | False |
Table 3: Unit-level ownership and operator details
| Unit name | Owner | Parent |
|---|---|---|
| Unit 1 | Korea Southern Power Co Ltd [100%] | Korea Electric Power Corp [100.0%] |
| Unit 2 | Korea Southern Power Co Ltd [100%] | Korea Electric Power Corp [100.0%] |
Project-level coal details
- Coal source(s): imported
Ownership Tree
This ownership tree is part of the Global Energy Ownership Tracker, a project of Global Energy Monitor.
Background
The plant was originally proposed in 2010 to consist of two 1,000 MW zero emission turbines equipped with carbon capture and storage (CCS). Around 2011, KEPCO said they were interested in expanding the plant to 5,000 MW, powered by a mix of coal, biomass, and renewables.[2][3]
The plant was proposed to use "ultra-supercritical circulating fluidized bed" technology, allowing it to use lower grade coal (4,000 kcal/kg versus 6,000 kcal/kg in a typical pulverized coal plant) along with five percent wood chip biomass.[3] However, the efficiency of the process is rated at 38.8 percent, which matches that of the typical supercritical coal plant described in MIT's "Future of Coal" study.[4][5]
According to engineering firm Foster Wheeler, Kepco proposed the plant as four units of 550 MW each, planned for completion by 2015.[6][7][4] However, in May 2011, Toshiba Corporation received the contract to supply two 1,000 MW ultra-supercritical units to KEPCO.[8]
According to Korean sources from 2015, the first two coal units were expected to be 1,022 MW each,[9] and completed in 2016. CCS was not mentioned.[10]
In May 2016, it was reported that unit 1 would be commissioned in December 2016 and unit 2 in January 2017.[11]
Unit 1 began commercial operation in December 2016.[12]
On May 6, 2017, Unit 2 was reported as 99.27% complete. It was planned for operation by June.[13] It was completed in June 2017.[14][15]
In October 2022, an article stated that the Samcheok Green power station was the first site to utilize an innovative "indoor coal storage dust reduction facility" technology. It was installed in 2017.[16]
In March 2023, it was reported that the power plant's O&M (operations and maintenance) contract was nearing its expiration and that the plant was in danger of not securing a new bidder.[17] Following the former maintenance partner's decision not to renew its contract with Samcheok Green Power, the company feared that finalization of the "government's bidding standards for regular maintenance of thermal power plants" would cause significant delays for completing the bidding "in a timely manner." [17]
In early and mid 2024, Samcheok Green power station was forced to temporarily shut down operations due to transmission line constraints.[18] As of April 2025, generation constraints were ongoing.[19]
Ammonia co-firing proposal and controversy
According to the summary of a March 2023 Korea Southern Power Co. board meeting, the draft of a power plan called "Samcheok Green Power Ammonia Power Generation Infrastructure Establishment" (Google Translate) was passed by the board.[20]
In April 2024, it was reported that a large-scale ammonia storage facility would be built for use at the Samcheok Green power station by July 2027.[21] The Korea Southern Power Company (KOSPO) reportedly awarded a 140 billion won (US$103 million) contract to the construction arm of Samsung to build a 30,000-tonne storage tank at the power station.[22][23]
In November 2024, Korea Southern Power was officially selected as a preferred bidder for the Clean Hydrogen Power Generation Market. Korea Southern Power was the only company selected. A 15-year contract for Samcheok Green power station Unit 1 to burn 20% ammonia was slated to be signed in December 2024 and begin in 2027.[24]
As of May 2025, reporting stated that the ammonia co-firing would begin in 2028.[25]
In October 2025, the Korea Power Exchange announced plans to renegotiate the Clean Hydrogen Power Generation Market contract awarded to Samcheok Green power station in 2024. The Korea Power Exchange would reportedly seek to shorten the contract period to align with the country’s 2040 coal phaseout plan.[26]
In November 2025, Solutions for Our Climate, the Samcheok Coal-fired Power Plant Opposition Committee, and the Chungnam Environmental Movement Federation held a press conference to urge Samcheok Green Power to stop its ammonia co-firing project and phase out coal power.[27][28]
As of March 2026, the ammonia co-firing project at Samcheok Green power station was mired in controversy. The planned fuel supply for the project — Samsung C&T’s “SAN-6 Blue Ammonia” project in Saudi Arabia — had not yet received a final investment decision and had been stalled since late 2024. In response, Samsung C&T was reportedly seeking to procure green ammonia from Reliance Industries in India; however, critics of the ammonia co-firing project have argued that changes to fuel supply structure should require re-examination of project costs, feasibility, and credibility.[29] Local communities and environmental groups have called for the ammonia co-firing project to be cancelled, also noting its apparent conflict with government policy. The South Korean government had withdrawn its support for co-fired coal and ammonia power generation in October 2025. Estimated costs for the co-firing project had reportedly nearly quadrupled from 40 billion won (US$27.3 million) in 2022 to 152 billion won (US$103.5 million) in 2025.[30]
According to reporting from August 2026, South Korea’s Minister for Climate, Energy, and Environment had confirmed that the country’s coal plants would not co-fire ammonia as part of its energy transition. The minister reportedly warned that ammonia co-firing risked prolonging coal use and was not consistent with the government’s plan to phase out coal generation by 2040.[31]
Financing
Financing for the project was provided through bonds from the following entities: National Pension Service (US$694,790,228), NongHyup Life Insurance (US$137,129,373), Nonghyup Property and Casualty Insurance (US$9,141,958), NH Investment Securities (US$617,106,961), Korea Post (US$86,852,091), IBK Affiliates (US$18,283,413), and Industrial Bank of Korea (US$18,283,413).[32]
Planned retirement
As of May 2021, Units 1 and 2 were scheduled to close by 2046 and 2047, respectively.[33]
Articles and Resources
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 https://www.gem.wiki/Coal_source_methodology_for_the_Global_Coal_Plant_Tracker.
{{cite web}}: Missing or empty|title=(help) - ↑ "S. Korea to build eco-friendly thermal power plant," Yonhap News Agency, June 10, 2011
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Sarah Blackman, "South Korean power production: a nation's clean coal goal," Power Technology, May 4, 2012
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 "Samcheok Green Power Project," Foster Wheeler fact sheet, accessed March 2014
- ↑ "The Future of Coal," Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2007, pages 20-22
- ↑ "Samcheok Green Power Project: A New Era in Clean Coal Technology," Foster Wheeler, accessed January 2014
- ↑ "The Latest CFB Technology Developments for Flexible Large Scale Utility Power Production," Foster Wheeler paper presented at PowerGen Europe, June 3-5, 2014
- ↑ "Toshiba Wins Major Ultra Supercritical Steam Turbines and Generators Order for Korean Southern Power Co.," Toshiba, 17 May, 2011
- ↑ "송전선로 없는 새 발전소 가동정지 위기 - 이투뉴스," e2news.com, January 26, 2015
- ↑ "'삼척그린파워' 화력발전소 위용 드러나," Newsis, June 21, 2015
- ↑ "대한민국 현장을 찾아서) 한국남부발전 삼척그린파워 1·2호기 건설현장," ElecTimes, May 18, 2016
- ↑ "삼척그린파워 1호 발전소 상업운전 개시," Yonhap News, December 17, 2016
- ↑ "건설中 원전·석탄발전, 차기 정권에서 운명은?," EBN, May 6, 2017
- ↑ "노후 석탄발전소 가동중단에 따른 미세먼지 저감 효과, 신규 석탄발전소 증설로 상쇄 우려," kfem.or.kr, July 25, 2017
- ↑ "한국남부발전 삼척발전본부 2호기 상업운전 개시," KW Times, June 13, 2017
- ↑ "대기업의 기술탈취…이기기도 어렵고 이겨도 이긴 게 아니더라," The Hankyoreh, October 24, 2022
- ↑ 17.0 17.1 "火電 경상정비 입찰 재개두고...발전사 ‘발등에 불’ 정부는 ‘미적미적’," ElecTimes, March 7, 2023
- ↑ 신규 발전소 개점휴업 빚은 동해안 송전 대란, 인근 LNG 발전도 덮쳤다, Electimes, May 23, 2024
- ↑ "전력망 건설 지연에 민간 발전사는 파산 위험," 대한경제, April 24, 2025
- ↑ "이사회 개최현황" KOSPO, Accessed: May 2023
- ↑ 삼척에 화력발전소 활용 암모니아 저장 시설 조성, KBS News, April 8, 2024
- ↑ "Samsung C&T to build Korea’s first $103 mn hydrogen tank for power plant," The Korea Economic Daily, April 9, 2024
- ↑ "청정수소 발전시장 우선협상자로 남부발전 ‘삼척 1호기’ 선정," 전기신문 , November 22, 2024
- ↑ 청정수소 발전시장 우선협상자로 남부발전 ‘삼척 1호기’ 선정, 전기신문, November 22, 2024
- ↑ 석탄발전 인프라, 수소·암모니아 시설로 재탄생하나, 월간수소경제, May 15, 2025
- ↑ ““석탄 연명 수단 불가”...청정수소발전 입찰 전격 취소,” Netzero News, October 21, 2025
- ↑ “(보도자료) 정부의 암모니아 혼소 중단 선언에도 여전히 추진 중인 삼척그린파워…시민사회 혼소추진 중단 요구,” Solutions for Our Climate, November 2, 2025
- ↑ “삼척그린파워 석탄-암모니아 혼소 추진 중단 촉구,” 에너지신문, November 4, 2025
- ↑ “(보도자료) 사우디 연료 조달 전제 흔들린 석탄-암모니아 혼소, 삼척그린파워 사업 재검토해야,” Solutions for Our Climate, March 24, 2026
- ↑ ““정부는 멈췄는데 남부발전은 독주”… 삼척 ‘암모니아 혼소’ 철회 촉구,” 기후에너지경제, April 15, 2026
- ↑ “South Korea Abandons Ammonia Co-Firing at Coal Plants Over Fears It Would Prolong Fossil Generation,” Fuel Cells Works, August 6, 2026
- ↑ "Financing Dirty Energy: How Korean Public Financial Institutions Support Coal Power". Solutions for Our Climate. January 2018.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ↑ "Assessing the Health Benefits of a Paris-Aligned Coal Phase Out for South Korea," Annex II (Unit-level phase out schedules), Climate Analytics, May 2021
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.
