Yeongheung power station
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Yeongheung power station (영흥 발전소) is an operating power station of at least 5080-megawatts (MW) in Oe-ri, Yeongheung, Ongjin, Incheon, South Korea with multiple units, some of which are not currently operating. It is also known as Yonghungdo power station.
Location
Table 1: Project-level location details
| Plant name | Location | Coordinates (WGS 84) |
|---|---|---|
| Yeongheung power station | Oe-ri, Yeongheung, Ongjin, Incheon, South Korea | 37.2369399, 126.4360929 (exact)[1] |
Unit-level coordinates (WGS 84):
- 1, 2, Unit 5, Unit 6, Unit 7, Unit 8: 37.2369399, 126.4360929
- Unit 1, Unit 2, Unit 3, Unit 4: 37.236543, 126.437797
Project Details
Table 2: Unit-level details
| Unit name | Status | Fuel(s) | Capacity (MW) | Technology | CHP | Start year | Retired year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Announced[2][3][4] | fossil gas: LNG[4] | 800[4] | unknown | not found | 2034 (planned)[3][4] | – |
| 2 | Announced[2][3][4] | fossil gas: LNG[4] | 800[4] | unknown | not found | 2034 (planned)[3][4] | – |
| Unit 1 | Operating | coal: bituminous | 800 | supercritical | – | 2004 | 2034 (planned) |
| Unit 2 | Operating | coal: bituminous | 800 | supercritical | – | 2004 | 2034 (planned) |
| Unit 3 | Operating | coal: bituminous | 870 | ultra-supercritical | – | 2009 | 2038 (planned) |
| Unit 4 | Operating | coal: bituminous | 870 | ultra-supercritical | – | 2009 | 2038 (planned) |
| Unit 5 | Operating | coal: bituminous | 870 | supercritical | – | 2014 | 2044 (planned) |
| Unit 6 | Operating | coal: bituminous | 870 | supercritical | – | 2014 | 2044 (planned) |
| Unit 7 | Cancelled | coal: bituminous | 870 | supercritical | – | – | – |
| Unit 8 | Cancelled | coal: bituminous | 870 | supercritical | – | – | – |
CHP is an abbreviation for Combined Heat and Power. It is a technology that produces electricity and thermal energy at high efficiencies. Coal units track this information in the Captive Use section when known.
Table 3: Unit-level ownership and operator details
| Unit name | Owner | Parent |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Korea South-East Power Co Ltd [100%] | Korea Electric Power Corp [100.0%] |
| 2 | Korea South-East Power Co Ltd [100%] | Korea Electric Power Corp [100.0%] |
| Unit 1 | Korea South-East Power Co Ltd [100%] | Korea Electric Power Corp [100.0%] |
| Unit 2 | Korea South-East Power Co Ltd [100%] | Korea Electric Power Corp [100.0%] |
| Unit 3 | Korea South-East Power Co Ltd [100%] | Korea Electric Power Corp [100.0%] |
| Unit 4 | Korea South-East Power Co Ltd [100%] | Korea Electric Power Corp [100.0%] |
| Unit 5 | Korea South-East Power Co Ltd [100%] | Korea Electric Power Corp [100.0%] |
| Unit 6 | Korea South-East Power Co Ltd [100%] | Korea Electric Power Corp [100.0%] |
| Unit 7 | Korea South-East Power Co Ltd [100%] | Korea Electric Power Corp [100.0%] |
| Unit 8 | Korea South-East Power Co Ltd [100%] | Korea Electric Power Corp [100.0%] |
Ownership Tree
This ownership tree is part of the Global Energy Ownership Tracker, a project of Global Energy Monitor.
Background
The plant is one of the top ten largest coal plants in the world. The original Yeongheung Power Station consisted of four coal units. The 800-MW Units 1 and 2 began commercial operation in 2004. The 870 MW Units 3 and 4 entered commercial operation in 2009.[5]
In July 2024, reporting announced that planned facility improvement projects had been delayed due to elevated prices of nuclear ash related to COVID-19 and the Russia-Ukraine war.[6]
In February 2025, a KRW 99.7 billion (US$73 million) contract was awarded for construction upgrades at Yeongheung power station Units 1 and 2, including electric precipitators and desulfurization facilities. The construction period would extend through September 2026.[7]
In November 2025, a fire near a conveyor belt passageway broke out at Yeongheung power station. The fire was reportedly extinguished within an hour and no casualties were reported.[8]
Description of Expansion: Units 5 and 6
Korea Southeast Power (KOSEP) planned to expand the power station by two units (units 5 and 6) of 870 MW each.[9][10] The new units entered operation in June and November 2014, respectively.[11]
In January 2023, it was reported that Units 5 and 6 would require carbon capture technology in the years approaching their planned retirement in 2044. [12]
Description of Expansion: Units 7 and 8
According to the 6th Basic Power Development Plan, units 7 and 8, each 870 MW, were planned for completion in June and December 2018.[13][14] The expansion plan was cancelled in June 2015, with two nuclear plants planned instead.[15]
Planned retirements and conversions to gas and other fuels
South Korea plans to shut a total of 15.3GW of coal-fired capacity by 2034, according to a draft of the country's ninth basic electricity plan, of which 12.7GW will be switched to run on imported gas.[16]
The following power stations have plans to convert from coal to gas:[16]
- Dangjin power station Units 1 and 2 in 2029 (2 * 500 MW)
- Dangjin power station Units 3 and 4 in 2030 (2 * 500 MW)
- Samchonpo power station Unit 5 in 2027 (500 MW)
- Samchonpo power station Unit 6 in 2028 (500 MW)
- Yeongheung power station Units 1 and 2 in 2034 (2 * 800 MW)
Reporting in March 2024 indicated that Korea South-East Power also had plans to convert Units 3 and 4 to LNG, hydrogen, or ammonia, but information was limited at the time of reporting.[17]
In March 2025, South Korea’s 11th Basic Electricity Supply and Demand Plan indicated that Yeongheung Unit 3 would convert from coal to a “zero-carbon” [Google Translate] source in 2038.[18]
In December 2025, an Incheon City official reportedly said that the city would heed community demands and advocate for the early closure of Yeongheung Units 1 and 2 to be included in the country’s forthcoming 12th Basic Plan for Electricity Supply and Demand. Previous proposals to include Yeongheung’s early closure in the 10th and 11th electricity plan had reportedly not been accepted by the central government.[19] According to reporting from May 2026, the Incheon Federation for Environmental Movements called for the city to establish a roadmap for the early closure of Yeongheung and other fossil power facilities.[20]
Proposed ammonia co-firing
In March 2023, it was reported that Units 3-6 were being considered for ammonia co-firing in an effort to "reduce carbon," and that Units 1-2 were planned for "complete hydrogen power generation in 2034." [21]
A KEPCO update in April 2024 indicated that the company was planning a preliminary feasibility survey for the implementation of ammonia co-firing at Units 5 and 6 of the Yeongheung power station.[22]
Proposed energy and industrial park
In September 2025, Incheon City announced plans to develop the "Yeongheung Future Energy Park" [Google Translate] at the site of the Yeongheung power station. The proposed project reportedly included converting the Yeongheung power station to “clean hydrogen,” as well as building a data center, fuel cell facility, and an offshore wind farm. A feasibility study was set to begin in October 2025, with the energy park project slated to be completed in 2045. The total project cost was reportedly estimated at KRW 22 trillion (US$15 billion).[23]
As of January 2026, the preliminary feasibility study for the Yeongheung Future Energy Park was expected to begin in March 2026. While the energy park was originally planned to be completed in 2045, the South Korean government’s pledge to phase out coal power by 2040 had reportedly raised the possibility of moving up the energy park’s completion date to 2040.[24]
Opposition
Environmental groups have pushed for the accelerated retirement of the coal units,[25] and against the conversions to gas.[26] In Fall 2021, the city of Incheon requested presidential candidates campaign on a promise to advance the closing date of coal units 1 and 2 from 2034 to 2030 in the next Basic Plan for Power Supply and Demand.[27]
In December 2024, environmental groups called for the upgrade and conversion plan of Yeongheung power station Units 1 and 2 to be cancelled and replaced with renewable energy development.[28]
In September 2025, civic groups in Incheon called for the closure of the Yeongheung coal plant by 2030 and a transition to renewable energy. The groups reportedly criticized the government’s plans to co-fire ammonia or convert the plant to hydrogen.[29]
Articles and Resources
References
- ↑ (PDF) https://web.archive.org/web/20220527034106/https://www.iere.jp/membersinformation/brochure/brochure_KOEN.pdf. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2022-05-27.
{{cite web}}: Missing or empty|title=(help) - ↑ 2.0 2.1 https://eiec.kdi.re.kr/policy/callDownload.do?num=263534&filenum=2&dtime=20250225075221.
{{cite web}}: Missing or empty|title=(help) - ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 https://www.motie.go.kr/attach/viewer/c26df36c4f964b1523b31be51e734922/f3e75937c6fd925443ad69c810ba811d/9a9db098b587ee18b321c826f3707a49.
{{cite web}}: Missing or empty|title=(help) - ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 4.5 4.6 4.7 (PDF) https://web.archive.org/web/20231118083456/https://www.kier.re.kr/resources/download/tpp/policy_230113_data.pdf. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2023-11-18.
{{cite web}}: Missing or empty|title=(help) - ↑ "Yeongheung Power Station Unit 3, Yeongheung Island, South Korea," PowerMag, October 1, 2012
- ↑ 영흥화력발전소, 저탄장 실내화·환경개선사업 잇달아 지연, Gyeong-In Broadcasting, July 29, 2024
- ↑ 디와이피엔에프, 997억 규모 영흥발전소 1·2호기 환경설비 수주, 머니투데이, February 21, 2025
- ↑ “(속보)인천 영흥화력발전소 화재…대응 1단계 발령후 1시간 만에 초기 진화,” 문화일보, November 16, 2025
- ↑ "South Korea Saves More than 30 Million RMB by Using China Guodian Corporation’s Plasma Ignition Technology," China Guodian press release, December 20, 2013
- ↑ "Doosan Signs a Contract to Supply Boilers for the Yeongheung Thermal Power Plants 5 & 6," Doosan press release, December 29, 2010
- ↑ "Yeongheung Thermal Power site Division," KOSEP website, accessed February 2015
- ↑ "기고 영흥화력발전 조기폐쇄 논란 탄소포집기술에 주목해야 Dnews.co.kr, Jan. 25, 2023
- ↑ "KEPCO Company Analysis," Hyundai Research, February 4, 2013
- ↑ "The 6th Basic Plan for Long-term Electricity Supply and Demand, (2013~2027)," Ministry of Knowledge Economy, February 2013
- ↑ "South Korea axes four coal plants, plans two new nuclear units," Reuters, June 8, 2015
- ↑ 16.0 16.1 "South Korea to convert half of existing coal fleet to gas," Argus, May 11, 2020
- ↑ (등촌광장) 무탄소 시대…부상하는 양수발전, Electimes, March 26, 2024
- ↑ “제11차 전력수급기본계획 (2024~2038),” 산업통상자원부, March 13, 2025
- ↑ “인천시 “영흥화전 조기 폐쇄, 12차 전기본 반영 최선”,” I인천일보, December 9, 2025
- ↑ ““탈석탄 공약 어디로” 침묵하는 인천시… 12차 전력수급계획 앞두고 ‘직무유기’,” 헤럴드경제, May 3, 2026
- ↑ "(특별기고) 수소에너지 발전소 디딤돌을 놓자," ElecTimes, March 14, 2023
- ↑ Hydrogen and ammonia co-firing, KEPCO, April 2024, Accessed: May 28, 2024
- ↑ “인천시, 영흥 미래에너지파크 22조 투자 화력발전소 수소전환,” 인천투데이, September 18, 2025
- ↑ “22조 투입될 ‘영흥미래에너지파크’ 조성사업 8월 추진여부 분수령,” 기호일보, January 28, 2026
- ↑ “한국남동발전 영흥화력발전소, 조기 폐쇄 가능할까,” kgnews, September 1, 2021
- ↑ “환경단체, 영흥발전소 석탄 1·2호기 LNG 전환 반대,” Incheon News, December 1, 2021
- ↑ “정부 탄소중립 기조에 시민단체 조기폐쇄 주장까지... 난감한 영흥화력,” joongboo, October 20, 2021
- ↑ “3년째 멈춘 영흥발전소 1‧2호기 설비투자 즉각 중단해야,” 경기신문, December 30, 2024
- ↑ “영흥석탄화력 1년 온실가스 3200만톤... "2030년 폐쇄하라",” 인천투데이, September 16, 2025
Additional data
To access additional data, including interactive maps of the power stations, downloadable datasets, and summary data, please visit the Global Coal Plant Tracker and the Global Oil and Gas Plant Tracker on the Global Energy Monitor website.
