Will North Korea build a large hydroelectric power station?

Figure 13. Dam under construction near Junhyok-ri, May 1, 2019. Despite a stronger emphasis on smaller hydroelectric power stations, there is still evidence that North Korea has not abandoned its desire to build large power stations capable of producing considerable amounts of sustained energy.

What is North Korea's energy infrastructure?

This installment of our series on North Korea’s energy infrastructure will examine one of North Korea’s largest hydroelectric power installations: Huichon Power Stations No. 1 through 12. Construction of the system first started during the Kim Jong Il era and ended in the Kim Jong Un era.

What are the main sources of power in North Korea?

Coal and hydropower are the two main sources of power in North Korea, however, hydropower accounts for the majority of the country’s actual electricity production.

Why did North Korea build the Huichon Power Station?

The centerpiece of that plan was the Huichon Power Station, the largest to be built in North Korea, and capable of generating some 300,000 kilowatts (kW) of power, sufficient to meet the needs of its capital, Pyongyang. For Kim, Huichon was to be a symbol of North Korean pride and its peoples’ ingenuity.

How can North Korea meet its electrical energy needs?

To help meet North Korea’s electrical energy needs, it has placed great emphasis on the use of hydropower. One strategy to improve this sector has been to shift focus from large-scale dams and hydropower plants to smaller ones, arranged in tiers.

What type of power is used in North Korea?

Hydropower is the dominant form of electricity generation in North Korea. The country’s numerous mountains and rivers make it an attractive choice for power generation. As noted in article one of this series, Statistics Korea estimates it accounted for 53 percent of all power generation, while Nautilus Institute put hydro at 76 percent.