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Does North Korea have energy security challenges?

Access to solar panels has created capacity where the state falls short, but the overall energy security challenges facing the nation are daunting. This report, “North Korea’s Energy Sector,” is a compilation of articles published on 38 North in 2023 that surveyed North Korea’s energy production facilities and infrastructure.

Does North Korea have a power shortage?

North Korea suffers from chronic energy shortages. Rolling blackouts are common, even in the nation’s capital, while some of the poorest citizens receive state-provided electricity only once a year.

How big is North Korea's solar project?

Although the grass-roots adoption of solar has been rapid in North Korea, the installed capacity is still minuscule compared with industrial-sized projects elsewhere. Riverside County's Desert Sunlight Solar Farm, by contrast, is a 550-megawatt project -- 36 times bigger than all of North Korea's estimated capacity.

Are solar panels a threat to energy security?

Some energy initiatives, such as the construction of large hydropower plants, have taken decades to complete, and sources like tidal power remain grossly underutilized. Access to solar panels has created capacity where the state falls short, but the overall energy security challenges facing the nation are daunting.