Chipata power station is a 300 MW coal power station in Eastern, Zambia. It is operated by Black Rhino Group [100%]. Based on its capacity (estimated), it can supply roughly 375k homes (estimated). It ranks #10 of 27 Zambia power plants by installed capacity. In context, coal supplies about 10.8% of Zambia's electricity; the national grid averages 120 gCO₂/kWh (87.5% low-carbon) (2024).
Plant data: WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0), id GEM_coa_chipata_zambi.
Data status
Known data
Calculated from dataset
Not available
Known, modelled and calculated values are kept separate. Missing fields are shown as unavailable.
Data provenance
Capacity and fuel are the upstream open-dataset record, not yet matched to a 2026 registry or GEM entry.
capacity: GEM GCPT; fuel: GEM GCPT
In context: how this plant compares
At 300 MW, Chipata power station is around the median coal plant in Zambia (300 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 Zambia coal capacity
- 7.6% of 3,965 MW across 11 plants in this dataset
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 Zambia
Installed capacity (MW), WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0).
Owner
Operated by Black Rhino Group [100%].
Climate zone & how it works
This coal plant burns coal to raise high-pressure steam that spins a turbine-generator. It sits in a humid subtropical (dry winter) climate (Köppen Cwa) — Southern Hemisphere, latitude 13.6°S — which shapes how much energy it can produce and how its output varies through the year.
Climate zone & typical temperatures: Köppen-Geiger world climate classification (Kottek et al. 2006, 0.5° grid).
How it compares & nearby plants
The #7 largest coal power plant of 11 in Zambia by capacity.
Zambia has 11 coal power plants in this dataset, together about 3,965 MW of capacity.
Nearby power plants
- Pamodzi power station · Coal · 120 MW · Salima
Location
Coordinates -13.645278, 32.646389 from WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0). View on OpenStreetMap.
Frequently asked questions
What type of power plant is Chipata power station?
Chipata power station is a 300 MW coal power plant in Eastern, Zambia.
Who operates Chipata power station?
Chipata power station is operated by Black Rhino Group [100%].