Bin Qasim is a 1,260 MW oil power station in Sindh, Pakistan. It is operated by Karachi Electric Supply Company (KESC). Based on its capacity (estimated), it can supply roughly 946k homes (estimated). It ranks #21 of 122 Pakistan power plants by installed capacity. Commissioned in 1983, it is around 43 years old — long-established. In context, oil supplies about 9.2% of Pakistan's electricity; the national grid averages 347 gCO₂/kWh (54.9% low-carbon) (2025).
Plant data: WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0), id WRI1001624.
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
At 1,260 MW, Bin Qasim is well above the median oil plant in Pakistan (185.9 MW). Technically it is described as CCGT; combined-cycle with a heat-recovery steam generator (HRSG). 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.
Key facts
- Share of Pakistan oil capacity
- 22.6% of 5,584 MW across 19 plants in this dataset
- Age among peers
- 2 of 17 dated oil plants in Pakistan 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 Pakistan
Installed capacity (MW), WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0).
Owner
Operated by Karachi Electric Supply Company (KESC).
Local climate & thermal context
This oil plant burns oil or diesel to drive turbines or reciprocating engines. It sits in a hot desert climate (Köppen BWh) — Northern Hemisphere, latitude 24.8°N — 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 a benign, low-corrosion environment (estimated ISO 9223 class C1 — Very low), with dust abrasion 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 #2 largest oil power plant of 19 in Pakistan by capacity.
Pakistan has 19 oil power plants in this dataset, together about 5,584 MW of capacity.
Nearby power plants
- Port Qasim EPC power station · Coal · 1,320 MW · Sindh
- Port Qasim Burj power station · Coal · 500 MW · Sindh
- Port Qasim Datang power station · Coal · 700 MW · Sindh
- Port Qasim SSRL power station · Coal · 440 MW · Sindh
- Fauji Fertilizer Power Plant · Coal · 118 MW · Sindh
- Port Qasim Lucky power station · Coal · 660 MW · Sindh
Location
Coordinates 24.7844, 67.3604 from WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0). View on OpenStreetMap.
Frequently asked questions
What type of power plant is Bin Qasim?
Bin Qasim is a 1,260 MW oil power plant in Sindh, Pakistan, commissioned in 1983.
Who operates Bin Qasim?
Bin Qasim is operated by Karachi Electric Supply Company (KESC).