North Korea Coal Power: Generation, Share and Trend
North Korea generated 9.23 TWh of electricity from coal in 2024, 34.1% of its total, according to Ember. That made it the 33rd largest coal power producer in 2024 of the 85 countries with Ember data, comparing each country's latest year. Coal supplied 34.2% of the world's electricity in 2024. These are annual statistics for 2024; they are compiled from national sources and are not real time.
Key Facts
- North Korea generated 9.23 TWh of electricity from coal in 2024.
- Coal supplied 34.1% of North Korea's electricity in 2024.
- North Korea was the 33rd largest coal power producer in 2024 among the 85 countries with Ember data, comparing each country's latest year.
- North Korea's coal generation in 2024 was 22% lower than in 2019, when it was 11.9 TWh.
- North Korea's coal generation in 2024 was 15% higher than in 2014, when it was 8.01 TWh.
- North Korea's coal generation peaked at 11.9 TWh in 2019.
- North Korea's coal share in 2024 was close to the world share of 34.2%.
- North Korea had 3.38 GW of coal generating capacity in 2024.
- Coal power in North Korea emitted 8.36 MtCO2 in 2024, 91% of the power sector's emissions.
Key Figures, 2024
| Measure | Value | As of / source |
|---|---|---|
| Coal generation | 9.23 TWh | 2024 · Ember |
| Share of North Korea's electricity | 34.1% | 2024 · Ember |
| World share of coal | 34.2% | 2024 · Ember |
| Rank by coal generation (each country's latest year) | 33 of 85 | 2024 · Ember |
| Coal capacity | 3.38 GW | 2024 · Ember |
| Coal power emissions | 8.36 MtCO2 | 2024 · Ember |
Coal Generation Year by Year
Ember annual statistics, 2000 to 2024Annual statistics through 2024, TWh
| Year | Coal |
|---|---|
| 2000 | 8.40 TWh |
| 2001 | 8.59 TWh |
| 2002 | 8.14 TWh |
| 2003 | 8.29 TWh |
| 2004 | 8.48 TWh |
| 2005 | 8.94 TWh |
| 2006 | 9.18 TWh |
| 2007 | 7.48 TWh |
| 2008 | 8.35 TWh |
| 2009 | 10.4 TWh |
| 2010 | 9.73 TWh |
| 2011 | 7.18 TWh |
| 2012 | 7.45 TWh |
| 2013 | 7.63 TWh |
| 2014 | 8.01 TWh |
| 2015 | 8.19 TWh |
| 2016 | 10.2 TWh |
| 2017 | 10.8 TWh |
| 2018 | 11.3 TWh |
| 2019 | 11.9 TWh |
| 2020 | 10.4 TWh |
| 2021 | 8.89 TWh |
| 2022 | 9.23 TWh |
| 2023 | 9.23 TWh |
| 2024 | 9.23 TWh |
Annual statistics through 2024, % of generation
| Year | North Korea | World |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 43.5% | 38.0% |
| 2001 | 42.8% | 38.0% |
| 2002 | 41.4% | 38.3% |
| 2003 | 39.7% | 39.5% |
| 2004 | 38.8% | 39.0% |
| 2005 | 39.3% | 39.5% |
| 2006 | 41.2% | 40.2% |
| 2007 | 35.0% | 40.8% |
| 2008 | 36.2% | 40.2% |
| 2009 | 44.5% | 39.9% |
| 2010 | 41.3% | 39.8% |
| 2011 | 34.4% | 40.6% |
| 2012 | 34.9% | 39.9% |
| 2013 | 34.7% | 40.8% |
| 2014 | 37.3% | 40.5% |
| 2015 | 43.3% | 38.7% |
| 2016 | 42.7% | 37.8% |
| 2017 | 46.2% | 38.0% |
| 2018 | 45.6% | 38.0% |
| 2019 | 49.7% | 36.7% |
| 2020 | 43.0% | 35.4% |
| 2021 | 34.7% | 36.0% |
| 2022 | 34.8% | 35.6% |
| 2023 | 34.5% | 35.2% |
| 2024 | 34.1% | 34.2% |
| Year | Generation | Share | World share | Capacity | Emissions |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 9.23 TWh | 34.1% | 34.2% | 3.38 GW | 8.36 MtCO2 |
| 2023 | 9.23 TWh | 34.5% | 35.2% | 3.38 GW | 8.36 MtCO2 |
| 2022 | 9.23 TWh | 34.8% | 35.6% | 3.38 GW | 8.36 MtCO2 |
| 2021 | 8.89 TWh | 34.7% | 36.0% | 3.36 GW | 8.05 MtCO2 |
| 2020 | 10.4 TWh | 43.0% | 35.4% | 3.36 GW | 9.37 MtCO2 |
| 2019 | 11.9 TWh | 49.7% | 36.7% | 3.36 GW | 10.8 MtCO2 |
| 2018 | 11.3 TWh | 45.6% | 38.0% | 3.36 GW | 10.3 MtCO2 |
| 2017 | 10.8 TWh | 46.2% | 38.0% | 2.96 GW | 9.82 MtCO2 |
| 2016 | 10.2 TWh | 42.7% | 37.8% | 2.96 GW | 9.22 MtCO2 |
| 2015 | 8.19 TWh | 43.3% | 38.7% | 2.96 GW | 7.43 MtCO2 |
Full year by year history for North Korea
Source: Ember (ember-energy.org), licensed under CC BY 4.0. Data as of 2024. World shares are Ember's World totals; ranks compare each country's latest year, which can differ between countries.