CENTRAL BAHIA BLANCA (PIEDRA BUENA) SA — Argentina

CENTRAL BAHIA BLANCA (PIEDRA BUENA) SA is a 620 MW coal power station in Buenos Aires, Argentina. It is operated by PAMPA ENERGIA. Based on its capacity (estimated), it can supply roughly 776k homes (estimated). It ranks #24 of 275 Argentina power plants by installed capacity. Commissioned in 1990, it is around 36 years old — long-established. In context, coal supplies about 1.8% of Argentina's electricity; the national grid averages 346 gCO₂/kWh (41.6% low-carbon) (2025).

Plant data: WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0), id ARG0000031.

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 620 MW, CENTRAL BAHIA BLANCA (PIEDRA BUENA) SA is well above the median coal plant in Argentina (361 MW). Coal plants burn pulverised coal to raise high-pressure steam for a turbine; they run as baseload but are the most carbon-intensive mainstream source and the first targeted for retirement or efficiency retrofits.

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

Key facts

Share of Argentina coal capacity

12.1% of 5,128 MW across 10 plants in this dataset

Age among peers

6 of 9 dated coal plants in Argentina are older

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

Capacity vs largest coal plants in Argentina

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

Owner

Operated by PAMPA ENERGIA.

Local climate & thermal context

This coal plant burns coal to raise high-pressure steam that spins a turbine-generator. It sits in a humid subtropical climate (Köppen Cfa) — Southern Hemisphere, latitude 38.8°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 41% 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: 33/100 — 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 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 #3 largest coal power plant of 10 in Argentina by capacity.

Argentina has 10 coal power plants in this dataset, together about 5,128 MW of capacity.

Nearby power plants

• Piedra Buena power station · Gas · 620 MW · Buenos Aires
• Ingeniero White thermal power plant · Gas · 99.6 MW · Buenos Aires
• Solalban Energía power station · Gas · 120 MW · Buenos Aires
• CT ECOENERGIA (PETROBRAS) · Coal · 13.2 MW · Buenos Aires
• Guillermo Brown power station · Gas · 876 MW · Buenos Aires
• PUNTA ALTA - CENTENARIO · Wind · 1.8 MW · Buenos Aires

Location

Coordinates -38.7872, -62.2536 from WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0). View on OpenStreetMap.

Frequently asked questions