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Built 2026-11-05 (5 November 2026)

France vs South Korea: Electricity Compared

France generated 574 TWh of electricity in 2025 and South Korea 628 TWh, according to Ember. France's largest source was nuclear (68.3%); South Korea's was coal (31.1%). Each kWh generated emitted 41 gCO2/kWh in France and 418 gCO2/kWh in South Korea. These are Ember annual statistics for 2025, compiled from national sources; they are not real time.

Who is bigger and who is cleaner? South Korea is the bigger electricity producer, generating 1.1 times as much as France in 2025 (628 TWh against 574 TWh). France has the cleaner electricity by carbon intensity, at 41 gCO2/kWh against 418 gCO2/kWh in South Korea in 2025.

Why this comparison: both among the 20 largest electricity users.

Open this comparison in the interactive tool to add more countries or change the metric.

Key Facts

  • Nuclear supplied 68.3% of France's electricity in 2025, against 29.4% in South Korea.
  • South Korea's electricity was 10.1 times as carbon intensive as France's in 2025, at 418 gCO2/kWh against 41 gCO2/kWh.
  • Low carbon sources supplied 94.9% of France's electricity in 2025 and 39.9% of South Korea's.
  • Electricity demand in 2025 was 481 TWh in France and 628 TWh in South Korea.

Key Figures, 2025

Ember annual statistics
Measure France South Korea
Total generation574 TWh628 TWh
Electricity demand481 TWh628 TWh
Demand per person7.15 MWh12.09 MWh
Carbon intensity41 gCO2/kWh418 gCO2/kWh
Power sector emissions23.7 MtCO2262 MtCO2
Low carbon share94.9%39.9%
Largest sourceNuclear 68.3%Coal 31.1%

Generation Mix, 2025

Share of generation
Source France South Korea
Nuclear 68.3% 29.4%
Coal 0.3% 31.1%
Gas 3.0% 28.0%
Hydro 10.3% 0.6%
Wind 8.8% 0.6%
Solar 5.6% 6.0%
Bioenergy 1.8% 3.2%
Other fossil 1.8% 1.0%
Other renewables 0.1% 0.0%

Carbon Intensity, 1985 to 2025

Ember annual statistics
Carbon intensity of electricity in France and South Korea, 1985 to 2025 Carbon intensity of electricity generated in France and South Korea each year from 1985 to 2025, in gCO2/kWh. In 2025 it was 41 gCO2/kWh in France and 418 gCO2/kWh in South Korea. 0 150 300 450 600 198519901995200020052010201520202025
Carbon intensity of electricity generated in France and South Korea each year from 1985 to 2025, in gCO2/kWh. In 2025 it was 41 gCO2/kWh in France and 418 gCO2/kWh in South Korea.
Annual statistics through 2025, gCO2/kWh
Carbon intensity of electricity in France and South Korea, 1985 to 2025
YearFranceSouth Korea
1985n/a524 gCO2/kWh
1986n/a431 gCO2/kWh
1987n/a345 gCO2/kWh
1988n/a405 gCO2/kWh
1989n/a383 gCO2/kWh
1990104 gCO2/kWh379 gCO2/kWh
1991122 gCO2/kWh399 gCO2/kWh
1992102 gCO2/kWh427 gCO2/kWh
199369 gCO2/kWh451 gCO2/kWh
199467 gCO2/kWh493 gCO2/kWh
199573 gCO2/kWh479 gCO2/kWh
199679 gCO2/kWh481 gCO2/kWh
199771 gCO2/kWh492 gCO2/kWh
199897 gCO2/kWh463 gCO2/kWh
199987 gCO2/kWh453 gCO2/kWh
200080 gCO2/kWh462 gCO2/kWh
200169 gCO2/kWh475 gCO2/kWh
200275 gCO2/kWh473 gCO2/kWh
200381 gCO2/kWh458 gCO2/kWh
200477 gCO2/kWh463 gCO2/kWh
200586 gCO2/kWh450 gCO2/kWh
200677 gCO2/kWh451 gCO2/kWh
200780 gCO2/kWh474 gCO2/kWh
200876 gCO2/kWh477 gCO2/kWh
200976 gCO2/kWh495 gCO2/kWh
201079 gCO2/kWh500 gCO2/kWh
201175 gCO2/kWh497 gCO2/kWh
201278 gCO2/kWh502 gCO2/kWh
201376 gCO2/kWh512 gCO2/kWh
201452 gCO2/kWh493 gCO2/kWh
201559 gCO2/kWh488 gCO2/kWh
201669 gCO2/kWh489 gCO2/kWh
201778 gCO2/kWh511 gCO2/kWh
201860 gCO2/kWh519 gCO2/kWh
201960 gCO2/kWh497 gCO2/kWh
202059 gCO2/kWh458 gCO2/kWh
202160 gCO2/kWh460 gCO2/kWh
202279 gCO2/kWh438 gCO2/kWh
202353 gCO2/kWh427 gCO2/kWh
202440 gCO2/kWh416 gCO2/kWh
202541 gCO2/kWh418 gCO2/kWh

Demand per Person, 1985 to 2025

Ember annual statistics
Electricity demand per person in France and South Korea, 1985 to 2025 Electricity demand per person in France and South Korea each year from 1985 to 2025, in MWh. In 2025 it was 7.15 MWh in France and 12.09 MWh in South Korea. 0 4 8 11 15 198519901995200020052010201520202025
Electricity demand per person in France and South Korea each year from 1985 to 2025, in MWh. In 2025 it was 7.15 MWh in France and 12.09 MWh in South Korea.
Annual statistics through 2025, MWh
Electricity demand per person in France and South Korea, 1985 to 2025
YearFranceSouth Korea
1985n/an/a
1986n/an/a
1987n/an/a
1988n/an/a
1989n/an/a
1990n/an/a
1991n/an/a
1992n/an/a
1993n/an/a
1994n/an/a
1995n/an/a
1996n/an/a
1997n/an/a
1998n/an/a
1999n/an/a
20007.79 MWh6.21 MWh
20017.92 MWh6.59 MWh
20027.86 MWh7.02 MWh
20038.11 MWh7.32 MWh
20048.25 MWh7.72 MWh
20058.26 MWh8.14 MWh
20068.12 MWh8.39 MWh
20078.09 MWh8.83 MWh
20088.27 MWh9.15 MWh
20097.97 MWh9.32 MWh
20108.38 MWh10.15 MWh
20118.02 MWh10.55 MWh
20128.17 MWh10.71 MWh
20138.21 MWh10.73 MWh
20147.72 MWh10.69 MWh
20157.86 MWh10.75 MWh
20167.95 MWh10.94 MWh
20177.90 MWh11.20 MWh
20187.83 MWh11.48 MWh
20197.73 MWh11.34 MWh
20207.32 MWh11.13 MWh
20217.65 MWh11.72 MWh
20227.29 MWh12.02 MWh
20237.05 MWh11.93 MWh
20247.09 MWh12.09 MWh
20257.15 MWh12.09 MWh

France history · South Korea history

Source: Ember (ember-energy.org), licensed under CC BY 4.0. Data as of 2025.

Cite this page
APA 7

World Power Monitor. (2025). France vs South Korea: Electricity Compared. https://worldpowermonitor.com/compare/france-vs-south-korea/

Plain text

World Power Monitor. France vs South Korea: Electricity Compared. Data as of 2025. Data from Ember. https://worldpowermonitor.com/compare/france-vs-south-korea/

BibTeX 
@misc{wpm_compare_france_vs_south_korea_2025,
  title = {{France vs South Korea: Electricity Compared}},
  author = {{World Power Monitor}},
  year = {2025},
  note = {Data as of 2025. Data from Ember.},
  url = {https://worldpowermonitor.com/compare/france-vs-south-korea/}
}

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