Ankerlig — South Africa

Ankerlig is a 1,338.3 MW oil power station in Western Cape, South Africa. It is operated by Eskom. Based on its capacity (estimated), it can supply roughly 1.0 million homes (estimated). It ranks #24 of 152 South Africa power plants by installed capacity. Commissioned in 2007, it is around 19 years old — relatively modern. Its modelled annual emissions are 592,840 t CO₂/yr (Climate TRACE), equivalent to about 138k cars driven for a year. In context, oil supplies about 0.8% of South Africa's electricity; the national grid averages 699 gCO₂/kWh (17.8% low-carbon) (2025).

Plant data: WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0), id WRI1000116.

Data provenance

Source of the capacity and fuel values:

capacity: GEM · 2026 · L100000407107; fuel: WRI GPPD

In context: how this plant compares

Technically it is described as OCGT. Oil-fired plants burn heavy fuel oil or diesel, usually as peaking or backup capacity on islands and grids without gas pipelines; high fuel cost keeps their utilisation low.

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

~592,840 t CO₂/yr (modelled) — in everyday terms

This facility's annual emissions are roughly equivalent to:

Equivalencies via US EPA Greenhouse Gas Equivalencies; modelled emissions from Climate TRACE.

Key facts

Share of South Africa oil capacity

55.5% of 2,413 MW across 3 plants in this dataset

Age among peers

0 of 3 dated oil plants in South Africa are older

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

Capacity vs largest oil plants in South Africa

Installed capacity (MW), WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0).

Owner

Operated by Eskom. All plants by this company →

Local climate & thermal context

This oil plant burns oil or diesel to drive turbines or reciprocating engines. It sits in a warm-summer Mediterranean climate (Köppen Csb) — Southern Hemisphere, latitude 33.6°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 71% 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: 23/100 — 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 marine corrosion 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 oil power plant of 3 in South Africa by capacity.

South Africa has 3 oil power plants in this dataset, together about 2,413 MW of capacity.

Nearby power plants

• Koeberg · Nuclear · 1,940 MW · Western Cape
• SlimSun Swartland Solar Park · Solar · 5 MW · Western Cape
• Swartland Solar Power Plant · Solar · 13.6 MW · Western Cape
• Acacia · Gas · 171 MW · Western Cape
• Darling Wind Farm · Wind · 5.2 MW · Western Cape
• Hopefield · Wind · 66.6 MW · Western Cape

Location

Coordinates -33.592, 18.4607 from WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0). View on OpenStreetMap.

Frequently asked questions