Barron Gorge is a 60 MW hydro power plant in Queensland, Australia. It is operated by Stanwell Corporation Ltd. Based on reported annual generation of 154 GWh, it can supply roughly 44k homes. It ranks #238 of 536 Australia power plants by installed capacity. Commissioned in 1963, it is around 63 years old — an older, legacy facility. As a non-combustion source, it has no direct CO₂ emissions from generation. In context, hydro supplies about 4.3% of Australia's electricity; the national grid averages 525 gCO₂/kWh (38.6% low-carbon) (2025).
Plant data: WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0), id AUS0000151.
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
Source of the capacity and fuel values:
capacity: GEM · 2026 · L100001022859; fuel: WRI GPPD
In context: how this plant compares
At 60 MW, Barron Gorge is well above the median hydro plant in Australia (45 MW). Technically it is described as run-of-river. Hydropower converts the energy of falling or flowing water into electricity; output depends on rainfall and reservoir level, and large dams also provide grid balancing and storage.
Capacity comparison computed from the WRI Global Power Plant Database; fuel-type context is general engineering background.
Key facts
- Load factor
- 29%, from 154 GWh of reported generation; the median for 50 hydro plants in Australia that report generation is 35%
- Generation trend
- 180 GWh in 2013 and 154 GWh in 2018 (−15%)
- Highest and lowest year
- 2014: 203 GWh; 2016: 107 GWh
- Share of Australia hydro capacity
- 0.7% of 8,878 MW across 73 plants in this dataset
- Age among peers
- 18 of 41 dated hydro plants in Australia are 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 Stanwell Corporation Ltd. All plants by this company →
Local climate & thermal context
This hydro plant converts the energy of falling or flowing water through hydro turbines. It sits in a tropical monsoon climate (Köppen Am) — Southern Hemisphere, latitude 16.9°S — which shapes how much energy it can produce and how its output varies through the year.
Monthly mean temperature
This site has effectively no heating season (tropical/equatorial climate), so winter heat loss is not the driver here. The thermal concern shifts to year-round process heat and humidity/heat-driven corrosion of hot equipment.
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 an aggressive, high-corrosion environment (estimated ISO 9223 class C5 — Very high), with marine salt 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 #30 largest hydro power plant of 73 in Australia by capacity.
Australia has 73 hydro power plants in this dataset, together about 8,878 MW of capacity.
Nearby power plants
- Mulgrave · Biomass · 13 MW · Queensland
- Tableland · Biomass · 7 MW · Queensland
- Windy Hill Wind Farm · Wind · 12 MW · Queensland
- South Johnstone · Biomass · 20 MW · Queensland
- Guddu power station · Biomass · 19.3 MW · Queensland
- Kareeya · Hydro · 88 MW · Queensland
Location
Coordinates -16.8502, 145.6465 from WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0). View on OpenStreetMap.
Frequently asked questions
What type of power plant is Barron Gorge?
Barron Gorge is a 60 MW hydro power plant in Queensland, Australia, commissioned in 1963.
How much electricity does Barron Gorge generate?
Barron Gorge generates about 154 GWh of electricity per year.
Who operates Barron Gorge?
Barron Gorge is operated by Stanwell Corporation Ltd.