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Data as of 2025
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Built 2026-09-19 (19 September 2026)

South Korea Electricity History, 1985 to 2025

South Korea generated 62.7 TWh of electricity in 1985 and 625 TWh in 2025. South Korea's electricity demand peaked at 625 TWh in 2024. The carbon intensity of South Korea's electricity went from 524 gCO2/kWh in 1985 to 417 gCO2/kWh in 2025. Figures are Ember annual statistics; Ember's series for South Korea starts in 1985.

Key Facts

  • South Korea generated 62.7 TWh of electricity in 1985 and 625 TWh in 2025.
  • South Korea's electricity demand peaked at 625 TWh in 2024.
  • The carbon intensity of South Korea's electricity went from 524 gCO2/kWh in 1985 to 417 gCO2/kWh in 2025.
  • South Korea's lowest carbon intensity on record was 345 gCO2/kWh, in 1987.
  • Gas's share of South Korea's electricity went from 0.1% in 1985 to 28.0% in 2025, the largest change of any source.

Generation and Demand

1985 to 2025, TWh
South Korea electricity generation and demand, 1985 to 2025 South Korea generated 62.7 TWh of electricity in 1985 and 625 TWh in 2025. 0 200 400 600 800 198519901995200020052010201520202025
South Korea generated 62.7 TWh of electricity in 1985 and 625 TWh in 2025.
Annual statistics through 2025, TWh
South Korea electricity generation and demand, 1985 to 2025
YearGenerationDemand
198562.7 TWh62.7 TWh
198669.7 TWh69.7 TWh
198780.3 TWh80.3 TWh
198893.1 TWh93.1 TWh
1989104 TWh104 TWh
1990118 TWh118 TWh
1991132 TWh132 TWh
1992146 TWh146 TWh
1993162 TWh162 TWh
1994183 TWh183 TWh
1995204 TWh204 TWh
1996226 TWh226 TWh
1997247 TWh247 TWh
1998237 TWh237 TWh
1999262 TWh262 TWh
2000290 TWh290 TWh
2001310 TWh310 TWh
2002332 TWh332 TWh
2003348 TWh348 TWh
2004368 TWh368 TWh
2005389 TWh389 TWh
2006403 TWh403 TWh
2007425 TWh425 TWh
2008443 TWh443 TWh
2009452 TWh452 TWh
2010495 TWh495 TWh
2011518 TWh518 TWh
2012531 TWh531 TWh
2013537 TWh537 TWh
2014540 TWh540 TWh
2015548 TWh548 TWh
2016561 TWh561 TWh
2017576 TWh576 TWh
2018593 TWh593 TWh
2019587 TWh587 TWh
2020577 TWh577 TWh
2021608 TWh608 TWh
2022623 TWh623 TWh
2023617 TWh617 TWh
2024625 TWh625 TWh
2025625 TWh625 TWh

Carbon Intensity

gCO2 per kWh generated
South Korea carbon intensity of electricity, 1985 to 2025 The carbon intensity of South Korea's electricity went from 524 gCO2/kWh in 1985 to 417 gCO2/kWh in 2025. 0 150 300 450 600 198519901995200020052010201520202025
The carbon intensity of South Korea's electricity went from 524 gCO2/kWh in 1985 to 417 gCO2/kWh in 2025.
Annual statistics through 2025
South Korea carbon intensity of electricity, 1985 to 2025
YearCarbon intensity
1985524 gCO2/kWh
1986431 gCO2/kWh
1987345 gCO2/kWh
1988405 gCO2/kWh
1989383 gCO2/kWh
1990379 gCO2/kWh
1991399 gCO2/kWh
1992427 gCO2/kWh
1993451 gCO2/kWh
1994493 gCO2/kWh
1995479 gCO2/kWh
1996481 gCO2/kWh
1997492 gCO2/kWh
1998463 gCO2/kWh
1999453 gCO2/kWh
2000462 gCO2/kWh
2001475 gCO2/kWh
2002473 gCO2/kWh
2003458 gCO2/kWh
2004463 gCO2/kWh
2005450 gCO2/kWh
2006451 gCO2/kWh
2007474 gCO2/kWh
2008477 gCO2/kWh
2009495 gCO2/kWh
2010500 gCO2/kWh
2011497 gCO2/kWh
2012502 gCO2/kWh
2013512 gCO2/kWh
2014493 gCO2/kWh
2015488 gCO2/kWh
2016489 gCO2/kWh
2017511 gCO2/kWh
2018519 gCO2/kWh
2019497 gCO2/kWh
2020458 gCO2/kWh
2021460 gCO2/kWh
2022438 gCO2/kWh
2023427 gCO2/kWh
2024416 gCO2/kWh
2025417 gCO2/kWh

Every Year

YearGenerationDemandNet importsCarbon intensityLow carbon share
2025 625 TWh 625 TWh 0 TWh 417 gCO2/kWh 39.9%
2024 625 TWh 625 TWh 0 TWh 416 gCO2/kWh 39.9%
2023 617 TWh 617 TWh 0 TWh 427 gCO2/kWh 38.8%
2022 623 TWh 623 TWh 0 TWh 438 gCO2/kWh 37.2%
2021 608 TWh 608 TWh 0 TWh 460 gCO2/kWh 33.9%
2020 577 TWh 577 TWh 0 TWh 458 gCO2/kWh 34.8%
2019 587 TWh 587 TWh 0 TWh 497 gCO2/kWh 30.5%
2018 593 TWh 593 TWh 0 TWh 519 gCO2/kWh 27.2%
2017 576 TWh 576 TWh 0 TWh 511 gCO2/kWh 29.6%
2016 561 TWh 561 TWh 0 TWh 489 gCO2/kWh 32.1%
2015 548 TWh 548 TWh 0 TWh 488 gCO2/kWh 32.8%
2014 540 TWh 540 TWh 0 TWh 493 gCO2/kWh 31.3%
2013 537 TWh 537 TWh 0 TWh 512 gCO2/kWh 27.7%
2012 531 TWh 531 TWh 0 TWh 502 gCO2/kWh 29.8%
2011 518 TWh 518 TWh 0 TWh 497 gCO2/kWh 31.3%
2010 495 TWh 495 TWh 0 TWh 500 gCO2/kWh 31.2%
2009 452 TWh 452 TWh 0 TWh 495 gCO2/kWh 33.7%
2008 443 TWh 443 TWh 0 TWh 477 gCO2/kWh 35.1%
2007 425 TWh 425 TWh 0 TWh 474 gCO2/kWh 34.7%
2006 403 TWh 403 TWh 0 TWh 451 gCO2/kWh 37.9%
2005 389 TWh 389 TWh 0 TWh 450 gCO2/kWh 38.7%
2004 368 TWh 368 TWh 0 TWh 463 gCO2/kWh 36.8%
2003 348 TWh 348 TWh 0 TWh 458 gCO2/kWh 38.8%
2002 332 TWh 332 TWh 0 TWh 473 gCO2/kWh 36.9%
2001 310 TWh 310 TWh 0 TWh 475 gCO2/kWh 37.0%
2000 290 TWh 290 TWh 0 TWh 462 gCO2/kWh 38.9%
1999 262 TWh 262 TWh n/a 453 gCO2/kWh 40.9%
1998 237 TWh 237 TWh n/a 463 gCO2/kWh 39.6%
1997 247 TWh 247 TWh n/a 492 gCO2/kWh 32.4%
1996 226 TWh 226 TWh n/a 481 gCO2/kWh 34.0%
1995 204 TWh 204 TWh n/a 479 gCO2/kWh 34.4%
1994 183 TWh 183 TWh n/a 493 gCO2/kWh 33.3%
1993 162 TWh 162 TWh n/a 451 gCO2/kWh 38.5%
1992 146 TWh 146 TWh n/a 427 gCO2/kWh 40.7%
1991 132 TWh 132 TWh n/a 399 gCO2/kWh 45.4%
1990 118 TWh 118 TWh n/a 379 gCO2/kWh 48.6%
1989 104 TWh 104 TWh n/a 383 gCO2/kWh 48.6%
1988 93.1 TWh 93.1 TWh n/a 405 gCO2/kWh 45.2%
1987 80.3 TWh 80.3 TWh n/a 345 gCO2/kWh 53.9%
1986 69.7 TWh 69.7 TWh n/a 431 gCO2/kWh 45.1%
1985 62.7 TWh 62.7 TWh n/a 524 gCO2/kWh 31.8%

Share of Generation by Source

Percent of total generation
YearCoalGasOther fossilNuclearHydroWindSolarBioenergy
202531.1%28.0%1.0%29.6%0.6%0.6%6.1%3.2%
202430.5%28.5%1.1%30.2%0.7%0.5%5.2%3.3%
202332.6%27.5%1.1%29.2%0.6%0.6%5.4%3.0%
202233.6%28.1%1.1%28.3%0.6%0.5%4.9%2.9%
202135.1%29.8%1.2%26.0%0.5%0.5%4.1%2.8%
202036.0%28.2%1.0%27.8%0.7%0.6%3.4%2.4%
201941.8%26.5%1.3%24.9%0.5%0.5%2.4%2.3%
201843.5%27.5%1.8%22.5%0.6%0.4%1.7%2.0%
201745.2%23.5%1.7%25.8%0.5%0.4%1.3%1.7%
201641.5%23.3%3.1%28.9%0.5%0.3%1.0%1.4%
201542.5%22.3%2.4%30.1%0.4%0.2%0.8%1.4%
201441.8%24.2%2.6%28.9%0.5%0.2%0.5%1.2%
201341.7%26.8%3.8%25.8%0.8%0.2%0.3%0.6%
201242.1%24.3%3.8%28.3%0.8%0.2%0.2%0.4%
201143.4%22.3%3.0%29.9%0.9%0.2%0.2%0.2%
201044.1%21.1%3.6%30.0%0.7%0.2%0.2%0.1%
200946.3%15.8%4.3%32.7%0.6%0.2%0.1%0.1%
200843.1%18.5%3.3%34.1%0.7%0.1%0.1%0.2%
200740.2%19.8%5.3%33.6%0.9%0.1%0.0%0.1%
200638.2%18.6%5.3%36.9%0.9%0.1%0.0%0.1%
200538.6%16.6%6.1%37.7%0.9%0.0%0.0%0.1%
200439.0%17.2%7.1%35.5%1.2%0.0%0.0%0.1%
200340.0%13.1%8.2%37.3%1.4%0.0%0.0%0.1%
200241.4%12.9%8.8%35.9%1.0%0.0%0.0%0.1%
200141.1%10.9%11.1%36.2%0.8%0.0%0.0%0.0%
200039.6%10.2%11.3%37.5%1.4%0.0%0.0%0.0%
199942.9%11.6%4.6%39.3%1.6%0.0%0.0%0.0%
199844.0%11.9%4.5%37.8%1.8%0.0%0.0%0.0%
199738.7%17.3%11.6%31.3%1.1%0.0%0.0%0.0%
199636.9%15.7%13.5%32.7%1.1%0.0%0.0%0.2%
199536.1%14.7%14.8%32.9%1.4%0.0%0.0%0.1%
199436.0%9.9%20.8%32.0%1.3%0.0%0.0%0.0%
199333.7%11.9%15.9%35.9%2.6%0.0%0.0%0.0%
199229.5%13.6%16.1%38.6%2.1%0.0%0.0%0.0%
199128.6%10.3%15.7%42.8%2.7%0.0%0.0%0.0%
199029.1%10.8%11.6%44.7%4.0%0.0%0.0%0.0%
198930.5%9.9%11.1%45.7%2.9%0.0%0.0%0.0%
198832.8%12.3%9.8%43.1%2.1%0.0%0.0%0.0%
198730.6%12.4%3.1%49.0%5.0%0.0%0.0%0.0%
198636.7%0.1%18.1%40.6%4.5%0.0%0.0%0.0%
198540.0%0.1%28.2%26.7%5.1%0.0%0.0%0.0%

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