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Cairo North

Gas power plant in Muhafazat al Qahirah, Egypt. Approximate location 30.108, 31.266.

GasMuhafazat al QahirahEgyptOCGT

Cairo North is a 1,500 MW gas power station in Muhafazat al Qahirah, Egypt. It is operated by Cairo Electricity Production Co [100%]. Based on reported annual generation of 2,196 GWh, it can supply roughly 627k homes. It ranks #16 of 89 Egypt power plants by installed capacity. Commissioned in 2008, it is around 18 years old — relatively modern. In context, gas supplies about 79.6% of Egypt's electricity; the national grid averages 563 gCO₂/kWh (13.0% low-carbon) (2025).

1,500Source-backed capacity
2,196GWh reported / yr
627,428homes powered
2008commissioned (~18 yrs)

Plant data: WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0), id WRI1000070.

Data status

Known data

FacilityCairo North WRI
CountryEgypt · Muhafazat al Qahirah WRI
Coordinates30.108, 31.266 WRI
FuelGas WRI
MW installed capacity1,500 MW WRI source record; scope not independently normalised
OwnerCairo Electricity Production Co [100%] WRI
Commissioned2008 WRI
TechnologyOCGT WRI
GWh reported / yr2,196 GWh/yr WRI

Calculated from dataset

CO₂ emissions878,400 t CO₂/yr calculated
Capacity rank in country#16 of 89 calculated
Fuel-specific rank in country#10 of 48 calculated
Capacity vs country/fuel peers2.20× · 682 MW median · 48 peers calculated
Homes-powered equivalent627,428 calculated from reported generation
Climate21.2°C · HDD 397 derived from coordinates
Environmental severityC1 · 41/100 derived from coordinates

Not available

GWh reported / yrNot available not in dataset

Known, modelled and calculated values are kept separate. Missing fields are shown as unavailable.

Data provenance

The capacity and/or fuel fields on this page include a source-backed provenance label from GEM, an official registry, Wikidata, OSM, or a cross-source match.

capacity: GEM tracker 2026 (location L100000406080); fuel: WRI source-record fuel

In context: how this plant compares

At 1,500 MW, Cairo North is well above the median gas plant in Egypt (682 MW). Technically it is described as OCGT. 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.

Capacity vs largest gas plants in Egypt

Beni Suef power plant: 4,800 MW5kBeni Suef …Burullus power plant: 4,800 MW5kBurullus p…New Capital power station: 4,800 MW5kNew Capita…Kuriemat 2: 2,754 MW3kKuriemat 2North Giza: 2,250 MW2kNorth GizaNubaria: 2,250 MW2kNubariaLuxor Project power station: 2,250 MW2kLuxor Proj…Abu Kir: 2,236 MW2kAbu Kir

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

Owner

Operated by Cairo Electricity Production Co [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 hot desert climate (Köppen BWh) — Northern Hemisphere, latitude 30.1°N — which shapes how much energy it can produce and how its output varies through the year.

21.2°Cannual mean temp
397heating degree-days (base 18°C)
1,581cooling degree-days (base 18°C)
151 melevation

Monthly mean temperature

J: 13 °CJF: 14 °CFM: 17 °CMA: 21 °CAM: 24 °CMJ: 27 °CJJ: 28 °CJA: 28 °CAS: 26 °CSO: 23 °CON: 19 °CND: 14 °CD28 °C

Heating degree-days here run 84% 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: 19/100 — this site sits in the bottom third of the power plants we cover by heating degree-days.

A gas turbine here also runs ~4% 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

For a plant’s outdoor hardware — heat-recovery steam generators (HRSG), expansion joints, valves, flanges and their insulation — the local climate sets how fast unprotected steel and coatings degrade. This site sits in a benign, low-corrosion environment (estimated ISO 9223 class C1 — Very low), with dust abrasion the leading environmental stress.

C1ISO 9223 corrosivity (indicative)
41/100environmental-severity index
14.5°Cseasonal temperature swing
135 kmdistance to coast

Higher environmental severity is exactly where protective removable insulation pays back most: a sheltered micro-climate slows corrosion, UV and thermal-cycling damage and extends outdoor hardware service life. This is an indicative site-climate context — not a condition assessment of any specific plant or operator.

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 #10 largest gas power plant of 48 in Egypt by capacity.

Egypt has 48 gas power plants in this dataset, together about 51,243 MW of capacity.

Nearby power plants

Location

Coordinates 30.108, 31.266 from WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0). View on OpenStreetMap.

Frequently asked questions

What type of power plant is Cairo North?

Cairo North is a 1,500 MW source-record gas power plant in Muhafazat al Qahirah, Egypt, commissioned in 2008.

How much electricity does Cairo North generate?

Cairo North generates about 2,196 GWh of electricity per year.

How many homes can Cairo North power?

Its output is enough to supply roughly 627,428 homes.

Who operates Cairo North?

Cairo North is operated by Cairo Electricity Production Co [100%].

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