Costa Sur power station — Puerto Rico
Gas power plant in Puerto Rico, Puerto Rico. Approximate location 18.000946, -66.754115.
GasPuerto RicoPuerto RicoSteam
Costa Sur power station is a 1,090 MW gas power station in Puerto Rico, Puerto Rico. It is operated by Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority [100%]. Based on its capacity (estimated), it can supply roughly 1.2 million homes (estimated). It ranks #2 of 10 Puerto Rico power plants by installed capacity. Commissioned in 1962, it is around 64 years old — an older, legacy facility.
Plant data: WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0), id GOGPT_costasur_puerto.
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 · L100000402238; fuel: GEM GOGPT
In context: how this plant compares
Technically it is described as Steam. 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 Puerto Rico gas capacity
- 49.0% of 2,224 MW across 3 plants in this dataset
- Age among peers
- 0 of 3 dated gas plants in Puerto Rico 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 Puerto Rico
Installed capacity (MW), WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0).
Owner
Operated by Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority [100%].
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 tropical monsoon climate (Köppen Am) — Northern Hemisphere, latitude 18.0°N — which shapes how much energy it can produce and how its output varies through the year.
Monthly mean temperature
This site has effectively no heating season (tropical/equatorial climate), so winter heat loss is not the driver here. The thermal concern shifts to year-round process heat and humidity/heat-driven corrosion of hot equipment.
A gas turbine here also runs ~8% 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 an aggressive, high-corrosion environment (estimated ISO 9223 class C5 — Very high), with marine salt corrosion 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 #1 largest gas power plant of 3 in Puerto Rico by capacity.
Puerto Rico has 3 gas power plants in this dataset, together about 2,224 MW of capacity.
Nearby power plants
- Costa Sur · Oil · 990 MW · Guayanilla
- Costa Sur · Gas · 42 MW · Guayanilla
- EcoEléctrica · Gas · 507 MW · Guayanilla
- EcoElectrica power station · Gas · 574 MW · Puerto Rico
- Garzas 2 · Hydro · 5 MW · Penuelas
- Garzas 1 · Hydro · 7.2 MW · Penuelas
Location
Coordinates 18.000946, -66.754115 from WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0). View on OpenStreetMap.
Frequently asked questions
What type of power plant is Costa Sur power station?
Costa Sur power station is a 1,090 MW gas power plant in Puerto Rico, Puerto Rico, commissioned in 1962.
Who operates Costa Sur power station?
Costa Sur power station is operated by Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority [100%].