Coega power station — South Africa

Coega power station is a 3,000 MW gas power station in Eastern Cape, South Africa. It ranks #14 of 152 South Africa power plants by installed capacity. In context, gas supplies about 0.0% of South Africa's electricity; the national grid averages 699 gCO₂/kWh (17.8% low-carbon) (2025).

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

Data provenance

Capacity and fuel are the upstream open-dataset record, not yet matched to a 2026 registry or GEM entry.

capacity: GEM GOGPT; fuel: GEM GOGPT

In context: how this plant compares

At 3,000 MW, Coega power station is well above the median gas plant in South Africa (670 MW). Technically it is described as CCGT; combined-cycle with a heat-recovery steam generator (HRSG). Its current lifecycle status is “Pre Construction” — so it is not yet, or no longer, generating at full output. 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.

How it compares & nearby plants

The #2 largest gas power plant of 15 in South Africa by capacity.

South Africa has 15 gas power plants in this dataset, together about 19,062 MW of capacity.

Nearby power plants

• Karpowership Coega power station · Gas · 450 MW · Eastern Cape
• Dedisa power station · Oil · 335 MW · Eastern Cape
• Grassridge Wind Farm · Wind · 61.5 MW · Eastern Cape
• Coega IDZ Windfarm · Wind · 73.8 MW · Eastern Cape
• Van Stadens · Wind · 27 MW · Eastern Cape
• Jeffrey's Bay Wind Farm · Wind · 138 MW · Eastern Cape

Location

Coordinates -33.78342, 25.707426 from WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0). View on OpenStreetMap.

Frequently asked questions