Columbia (WI) — United States of America
Coal power plant in Wisconsin, United States of America. Approximate location 43.4864, -89.4203.
CoalWisconsinUnited States of AmericaCO₂ measured
Columbia (WI) is a 1,112 MW coal power station in Wisconsin, United States of America. It is operated by Wisconsin Power & Light Co. Based on reported annual generation of 5,367 GWh, it can supply roughly 1.5 million homes. It ranks #530 of 10,884 United States of America power plants by installed capacity. Commissioned in 1976, it is around 50 years old — long-established. Its annual emissions of 4,621,127 t CO₂/yr (US EPA GHGRP) are equivalent to about 1.1 million cars driven for a year. In context, coal supplies about 16.3% of United States of America's electricity; the national grid averages 384 gCO₂/kWh (43.0% low-carbon) (2025).
Plant data: WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0), id USA0008023.
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
Source of the capacity and fuel values:
capacity: GEM · 2026 · L100000104268; fuel: WRI GPPD
In context: how this plant compares
At 1,112 MW, Columbia (WI) is well above the median coal plant in United States of America (558 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.
4,621,127 t CO₂/yr — in everyday terms
This facility's annual emissions are roughly equivalent to:
Equivalencies via US EPA Greenhouse Gas Equivalencies; emissions per US EPA GHGRP (measured for US EPA/EU ETS, modelled for Climate TRACE).
Key facts
- Load factor
- 55%, from 5,367 GWh of reported generation; the median for 244 coal plants in United States of America that report generation is 41%
- Generation trend
- 7,238 GWh in 2013 and 5,367 GWh in 2019 (−26%)
- Highest and lowest year
- 2013: 7,238 GWh; 2015: 4,860 GWh
- Share of United States of America coal capacity
- 0.2% of 621,194 MW across 802 plants in this dataset
- Age among peers
- 392 of 745 dated coal plants in United States of America are older
Calculated from the capacity and generation records in this dataset (WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0)).
Reported generation trend
Annual generation (GWh), WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0).
Owner
Operated by Wisconsin Power & Light Co. All plants by this company →
Local climate & thermal context
This coal plant burns coal to raise high-pressure steam that spins a turbine-generator. It sits in a warm-summer humid continental climate (Köppen Dfb) — Northern Hemisphere, latitude 43.5°N — which shapes how much energy it can produce and how its output varies through the year.
Monthly mean temperature
Heating degree-days here run 65% 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: 85/100 — this site sits in the top 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 moderately corrosive environment (estimated ISO 9223 class C3 — Medium), with thermal cycling 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 #219 largest coal power plant of 802 in United States of America by capacity.
United States of America has 802 coal power plants in this dataset, together about 621,194 MW of capacity.
Nearby power plants
- Columbia Energy Center · Coal · 1,112 MW · Wisconsin
- Glacier Hills · Wind · 162 MW · Wisconsin
- Clean Fuel Dane Community Digester · Biomass · 2 MW · Wisconsin
- Prairie Du Sac · Hydro · 33.4 MW · Wisconsin
- Kilbourn · Hydro · 9.7 MW · Wisconsin
- GL Dairy Biogas · Biomass · 2 MW · Wisconsin
Location
Coordinates 43.4864, -89.4203 from WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0). View on OpenStreetMap.
Frequently asked questions
What type of power plant is Columbia (WI)?
Columbia (WI) is a 1,112 MW coal power plant in Wisconsin, United States of America, commissioned in 1976.
How much electricity does Columbia (WI) generate?
Columbia (WI) generates about 5,367 GWh of electricity per year.
Who operates Columbia (WI)?
Columbia (WI) is operated by Wisconsin Power & Light Co.
How much CO₂ does Columbia (WI) emit?
Columbia (WI) has measured emissions of about 4,621,127 tonnes of CO₂ per year (US EPA GHGRP).