Sonbong power station
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Sonbong power station (선봉화력발전소) is an operating power station of at least 200-megawatts (MW) in Sonbong, Sonbong County, North Hamgyong, North Korea. It is also known as Seonbong power station, formerly Unggi and 6.16.
Location
Table 1: Project-level location details
| Plant name | Location | Coordinates (WGS 84) |
|---|---|---|
| Sonbong power station | Sonbong, Sonbong County, North Hamgyong, North Korea | 42.32849, 130.382448 (exact) |
The map below shows the exact location of the power station.
Unit-level coordinates (WGS 84):
- Unit 1, Unit 2, Unit 3: 42.32849, 130.382448
Project Details
Table 2: Unit-level details
| Unit name | Status | Fuel(s) | Capacity (MW) | Technology | Start year | Retired year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unit 1 | operating | coal - unknown | 100 | unknown | 2018 | – |
| Unit 2 | operating | coal - unknown | 50 | unknown | 2018 | – |
| Unit 3 | operating | coal - unknown | 50 | unknown | 2018 | – |
Table 3: Unit-level ownership and operator details
| Unit name | Owner |
|---|---|
| Unit 1 | Ministry of Electric Power (North Korea) [100.0%] |
| Unit 2 | Ministry of Electric Power (North Korea) [100.0%] |
| Unit 3 | Ministry of Electric Power (North Korea) [100.0%] |
Background
The Sonbong power station (formerly known as the Unggi plant and the "June 16" plant) provided electricity to both a Chemical Factory (the Seungri or 승리 Chemical Plant[1]) and the port city of Unggi (now known as Sonbong). Construction began in 1972, and the plant began burning heavy fuel oil in 1974 with a capacity of 100 MW. Its generating capacity was subsequently increased to 200 MW in December 1977.[2] There are a total of three generators (one 100MW and two 50MW).[3] It is a combined heat and power (CHP) plant.[4]
A 2015 report by the Korea Development Bank (KDB산업은행) provided background on the former oil-fired power station.[5]
In 2015, North Korea began converting its old Sonbong oil-fired power station to burn coal to address the country's chronic power shortages. According to the website 38 North, commercial satellite imagery through late 2017 showed the conversion to coal nearing completion.[2]
According to a June 2018 EIA article, North Korea’s conversion of the 200 MW Sonbong oil-fired power plant to a coal-fired facility was expected to be completed in 2018.[6]
An updated report '2020 North Korea's Industry' by the Korea Development Bank (Volume 1) stated the plant's capacity at 200 MW and assumed that the work on conversion to coal has been carried out.[3]
Articles and Resources
References
- ↑ "두만강 넘어 대륙과 해양을 향한 라선을 바라보다 (下) : 두만강지역개발의 꿈," Life In, October 28, 2020
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 "Conversion of North Korea’s Sonbong Thermal Electric Power Plant to Burn Coal Nears Completion," 38 North, December 5, 2017
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 [download at the bottom of the page, info on page 327 (2021). "2020 The North Korea's Industry - Volume 1". nkinfo.unikorea.go.kr.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ↑ "Status and Future of the North Korean Minerals Sector," Edward Yoon, for Nautilus Institute, January 6, 2011
- ↑ “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
- ↑ "North Korea," Overview, June 2018
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.
