Alpena Cement Plant — United States of America

Alpena Cement Plant is a 47.2 MW petcoke power plant in Michigan, United States of America. It is operated by Lafarge Corp. Based on reported annual generation of 171 GWh, it can supply roughly 49k homes. It ranks #3763 of 10,884 United States of America power plants by installed capacity. Commissioned in 1974, it is around 52 years old — an older, legacy facility. In context, the national grid averages 384 gCO₂/kWh (43.0% low-carbon) (2025).

Plant data: WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0), id USA0050305.

Data provenance

Source of the capacity and fuel values:

capacity: Wikidata P2109; fuel: WRI GPPD

In context: how this plant compares

At 47.2 MW, Alpena Cement Plant is below the median petcoke plant in United States of America (68 MW). This facility converts its energy source into electricity for the grid; its capacity, fuel type and location determine its role in the national power mix.

Capacity comparison computed from the WRI Global Power Plant Database; fuel-type context is general engineering background.

Key facts

Load factor

41%, from 171 GWh of reported generation; the median for 11 petcoke plants in United States of America that report generation is 34%

Share of United States of America petcoke capacity

2.0% of 2,366 MW across 11 plants in this dataset

Age among peers

1 of 11 dated petcoke plants in United States of America is older

Calculated from the capacity and generation records in this dataset (WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0)).

Reported generation trend

Annual generation (GWh), WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0).

Owner

Operated by Lafarge Corp.

Local climate & thermal context

This petcoke plant generates electricity for the grid. It sits in a warm-summer humid continental climate (Köppen Dfb) — Northern Hemisphere, latitude 45.1°N — which shapes how much energy it can produce and how its output varies through the year.

Monthly mean temperature

Heating degree-days here run 62% above the median power plant in this dataset — a proxy for how much extra energy heated equipment must replace through its surfaces in winter.

Climate heat-demand index: 84/100 — this site sits in the top third of the power plants we cover by heating degree-days.

Climate normals: WorldClim 2.1 (1970–2000 monthly normals, 10 arc-min, CC BY 4.0); zone: Köppen-Geiger world climate classification (Kottek et al. 2006, 0.5° grid). Degree-days & heat-demand index computed by PowerAtlas — a modelled heat-demand proxy, not a measured site figure.

Site climate & environmental severity

This site sits in a moderately corrosive environment (estimated ISO 9223 class C3 — Medium), with humidity / wetness the leading environmental stress.

Indicative estimate via the ISO 9223:2012 informative method (atmospheric corrosivity from temperature, time-of-wetness and airborne salinity), using WorldClim climate normals, the Köppen-Geiger class and coast distance. Indicative, not a measured corrosion rate.

How it compares & nearby plants

The #7 largest petcoke power plant of 11 in United States of America by capacity.

United States of America has 11 petcoke power plants in this dataset, together about 2,366 MW of capacity.

Nearby power plants

• Decorative Panels Intl · Gas · 7.5 MW · Michigan
• Ninth Street Hydropower Project · Hydro · 1.2 MW · Michigan
• Four Mile Hydropower Project · Hydro · 2 MW · Michigan
• Norway Point Hydropower Project · Hydro · 4 MW · Michigan
• Hillman Power LLC · Waste · 22 MW · Michigan
• Viking Energy of Lincoln · Waste · 18 MW · Michigan

Location

Coordinates 45.0699, -83.4082 from WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0). View on OpenStreetMap.

Frequently asked questions