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Central Power Plant

Gas power plant in Rhode Island, United States of America. Approximate location 41.745, -71.4584.

GasRhode IslandUnited States of America

Central Power Plant is a 11 MW gas power plant in Rhode Island, United States of America. It is operated by State of Rhode Island. Based on reported annual generation of 27 GWh, it can supply roughly 7.7k homes. It ranks #5540 of 10,938 United States of America power plants by installed capacity. Commissioned in 1997, it is around 29 years old — long-established. In context, gas supplies about 40.0% of United States of America's electricity; the national grid averages 384 gCO₂/kWh (43.0% low-carbon) (2025).

11Source-backed capacity
27GWh reported / yr
7,657homes powered
1997commissioned (~29 yrs)

Plant data: WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0), id USA0050621.

Data status

Known data

FacilityCentral Power Plant WRI
CountryUnited States of America · Rhode Island WRI
Coordinates41.745, -71.4584 WRI
FuelGas WRI
MW installed capacity11 MW WRI source record; scope not independently normalised
OwnerState of Rhode Island WRI
Commissioned1997 WRI
GWh reported / yr27 GWh/yr WRI

Calculated from dataset

CO₂ emissions10,720 t CO₂/yr calculated
Capacity rank in country#5540 of 10938 calculated
Fuel-specific rank in country#1756 of 2165 calculated
Capacity vs country/fuel peers0.09× · 121 MW median · 2165 peers calculated
Homes-powered equivalent7,657 calculated from reported generation
Climate10.0°C · HDD 3,138 derived from coordinates
Environmental severityC3 · 35/100 derived from coordinates

Not available

TechnologyNot available not in dataset
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: Wikidata P2109 nameplate capacity; fuel: WRI source-record fuel

In context: how this plant compares

At 11 MW, Central Power Plant is below the median gas plant in United States of America (121 MW). 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.

Reported generation trend

2016: 0 GWh20162017: 28 GWh20172018: 0 GWh20182019: 27 GWh201928 GWh

Annual generation (GWh), WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0).

Owner

Operated by State of Rhode Island.

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 humid subtropical climate (Köppen Cfa) — Northern Hemisphere, latitude 41.7°N — which shapes how much energy it can produce and how its output varies through the year.

10.0°Cannual mean temp
3,138heating degree-days (base 18°C)
242cooling degree-days (base 18°C)
5 melevation

Monthly mean temperature

J: -2 °CJF: -1 °CFM: 3 °CMA: 8 °CAM: 14 °CMJ: 18 °CJJ: 22 °CJA: 22 °CAS: 18 °CSO: 12 °CON: 7 °CND: 1 °CD22 °C

Heating degree-days here run 28% above 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: 66/100 — 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

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 moderately corrosive environment (estimated ISO 9223 class C3 — Medium), with humidity / wetness the leading environmental stress.

C3ISO 9223 corrosivity (indicative)
35/100environmental-severity index
24.0°Cseasonal temperature swing
57 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 #1756 largest gas power plant of 2165 in United States of America by capacity.

United States of America has 2165 gas power plants in this dataset, together about 789,950 MW of capacity.

Nearby power plants

Location

Coordinates 41.745, -71.4584 from WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0). View on OpenStreetMap.

Frequently asked questions

What type of power plant is Central Power Plant?

Central Power Plant is a 11 MW source-record gas power plant in Rhode Island, United States of America, commissioned in 1997.

How much electricity does Central Power Plant generate?

Central Power Plant generates about 27 GWh of electricity per year.

How many homes can Central Power Plant power?

Its output is enough to supply roughly 7,657 homes.

Who operates Central Power Plant?

Central Power Plant is operated by State of Rhode Island.

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