Bulo Bulo OCGT Power Plant Bolivia

Bulo Bulo OCGT Power Plant Bolivia is a 90 MW gas power plant in Santa Cruz, Bolivia. It is operated by Chaco Energías SA [100%]. Based on its capacity (estimated), it can supply roughly 101k homes (estimated). It ranks #10 of 30 Bolivia power plants by installed capacity. Commissioned in 2014, it is around 12 years old — relatively modern. In context, gas supplies about 62.4% of Bolivia's electricity; the national grid averages 481 gCO₂/kWh (36.1% low-carbon) (2025).

Plant data: WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0), id GEODB0041946.

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 90 MW, Bulo Bulo OCGT Power Plant Bolivia is below the median gas plant in Bolivia (120 MW). Technically it is described as CCGT; combined-cycle with a heat-recovery steam generator (HRSG); Siemens Energy: SGT-800, Siemens Energy: SGT-800, Siemens En. Gas plants burn natural gas either in open-cycle turbines for fast peaking, or in combined-cycle units that recover exhaust heat in an HRSG to reach roughly 55–62% efficiency — the cleanest-burning fossil option.

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

Key facts

Share of Bolivia gas capacity

3.8% of 2,339 MW across 13 plants in this dataset

Age among peers

2 of 7 dated gas plants in Bolivia are older

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

Capacity vs largest gas plants in Bolivia

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

Owner

Operated by Chaco Energías SA [100%].

Local climate & thermal context

This gas plant burns natural gas in a turbine — often in a combined-cycle setup — to generate electricity. It sits in a tropical savanna climate (Köppen Aw) — Southern Hemisphere, latitude 17.2°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.

A gas turbine here also runs ~7% below its ISO (15°C) rating at this annual mean (typical CCGT curve, estimate).

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 #9 largest gas power plant of 13 in Bolivia by capacity.

Bolivia has 13 gas power plants in this dataset, together about 2,339 MW of capacity.

Nearby power plants

• Carrasco OCGT Power Plant Bolivia · Gas · 152.6 MW · Cochabamba
• Santa Isabel Hydroelectric Power Plant Bolivia · Hydro · 91 MW · Cochabamba
• Corani Hydroelectric Power Plant Bolivia · Hydro · 70 MW · Cochabamba
• Valle Hermoso Power Plant Bolivia · Gas · 167 MW · Cochabamba

Location

Coordinates -17.2424, -64.5409 from WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0). View on OpenStreetMap.

Frequently asked questions