Ambatovy — Madagascar
Coal power plant in Alaotra Mangoro, Madagascar. Approximate location -18.8356, 48.3125.
CoalAlaotra MangoroMadagascar
Ambatovy is a 120 MW coal power station in Alaotra Mangoro, Madagascar. Based on its capacity (estimated), it can supply roughly 150k homes (estimated). It ranks #1 of 16 Madagascar power plants by installed capacity. In context, coal supplies about 20.6% of Madagascar's electricity; the national grid averages 432 gCO₂/kWh (42.4% low-carbon) (2024).
Plant data: WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0), id WRI1023098.
Data status
Known data
Calculated from dataset
Not available
Known, modelled and calculated values are kept separate. Missing fields are shown as unavailable.
Data provenance
Capacity and fuel are the upstream open-dataset record, not yet matched to a 2026 registry or GEM entry.
capacity: WRI GPPD; fuel: WRI GPPD
In context: how this plant compares
Coal plants burn pulverised coal to raise high-pressure steam for a turbine; they run as baseload but are the most carbon-intensive mainstream source and the first targeted for retirement or efficiency retrofits.
Capacity comparison computed from the WRI Global Power Plant Database; fuel-type context is general engineering background.
Key facts
- Share of Madagascar coal capacity
- 44.4% of 270 MW across 3 plants in this dataset
Calculated from the capacity and generation records in this dataset (WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0)).
Capacity vs largest coal plants in Madagascar
Installed capacity (MW), WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0).
Local climate & thermal context
This coal plant burns coal to raise high-pressure steam that spins a turbine-generator. It sits in a humid subtropical climate (Köppen Cfa) — Southern Hemisphere, latitude 18.8°S — which shapes how much energy it can produce and how its output varies through the year.
Monthly mean temperature
Heating degree-days here run 90% below 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: 17/100 — this site sits in the bottom 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 corrosive environment (estimated ISO 9223 class C4 — High), 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 #1 largest coal power plant of 3 in Madagascar by capacity.
Madagascar has 3 coal power plants in this dataset, together about 270 MW of capacity.
Nearby power plants
- Andekaleka · Hydro · 58 MW · Alaotra Mangoro
- La Mandraka · Hydro · 24 MW · Analamanga
- Antelomita · Hydro · 8.9 MW · Analamanga
- Tsiazompaniry · Hydro · 5.2 MW · Analamanga
- Ambohimanambola (Aksaf) power plant · Oil · 66 MW · Ambohimanambola
- Ambohimanambola (Trigu) power plant · Oil · 105 MW · Ambohimanambola
Location
Coordinates -18.8356, 48.3125 from WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0). View on OpenStreetMap.
Frequently asked questions
What type of power plant is Ambatovy?
Ambatovy is a 120 MW coal power plant in Alaotra Mangoro, Madagascar.