Which Korean tidal power station became the world's largest when it opened in 2011?

Sihwa Lake Tidal Power Station became the world's largest tidal power station when it opened in South Korea in 2011.

The facility was built on the Sihwa Lake seawall in Gyeonggi Province. Its 254-megawatt capacity comes from ten bulb turbines, which generate electricity as seawater flows through the barrage during tidal movement. The project restored tidal exchange between the lake and the Yellow Sea after earlier water-quality problems.

Sihwa is often confused with France's La Rance plant, which opened in 1966 and was the world's largest tidal station for decades. Unlike tidal-stream turbines, which sit in moving seawater without a barrage, Sihwa uses a conventional tidal barrage and basin system.

The project is also notable because it combines renewable generation with environmental management: regular seawater circulation helped improve the lake's water quality. Its output is much smaller than that of major hydroelectric dams, but tidal power is highly predictable because tides follow astronomical cycles.