CENTRAL LOMA DE LA LATA SA — Argentina

CENTRAL LOMA DE LA LATA SA is a 540 MW gas power station in Neuquen, Argentina. It is operated by PAMPA ENERGIA. Based on its capacity (estimated), it can supply roughly 608k homes (estimated). It ranks #27 of 275 Argentina power plants by installed capacity. Commissioned in 1999, it is around 27 years old — long-established. In context, gas supplies about 52.7% 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 ARG0000259.

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 540 MW, CENTRAL LOMA DE LA LATA SA is well above the median gas plant in Argentina (125 MW). Technically it is described as CCGT; combined-cycle with a heat-recovery steam generator (HRSG). 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 Argentina gas capacity

2.4% of 22,760 MW across 95 plants in this dataset

Age among peers

20 of 63 dated gas 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 gas 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 gas plant burns natural gas in a turbine — often in a combined-cycle setup — to generate electricity. It sits in a warm-summer Mediterranean climate (Köppen Csb) — Southern Hemisphere, latitude 38.5°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 26% 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: 40/100 — this site sits in the mid third of the power plants we cover by heating degree-days.

A gas turbine here also runs ~0% 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 mild atmospheric environment (estimated ISO 9223 class C2 — Low), 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 #14 largest gas power plant of 95 in Argentina by capacity.

Argentina has 95 gas power plants in this dataset, together about 22,760 MW of capacity.

Nearby power plants

• Loma Campana power station · Gas · 212 MW · Neuquén
• AGUA DEL CAJON (AUTOGENERADOR DEL MEM) · Other · 479.2 MW · Neuquen
• AGUA DEL CAJON (GENERADOR DEL MEM) · Gas · 192 MW · Neuquen
• JULIAN ROMERO · Hydro · 6.2 MW · Rio Negro
• ARROYITO · Hydro · 128 MW · Neuquen
• ALTO VALLE · Gas · 97.5 MW · Rio Negro

Location

Coordinates -38.5127, -68.6048 from WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0). View on OpenStreetMap.

Frequently asked questions