Covanta Hennepin Energy — United States of America

Covanta Hennepin Energy is a 39.5 MW waste power plant in Minnesota, United States of America. It is operated by Covanta Energy Co. Based on reported annual generation of 195 GWh, it can supply roughly 56k homes. It ranks #3972 of 10,884 United States of America power plants by installed capacity. Commissioned in 1989, it is around 37 years old — long-established. In context, the national grid averages 384 gCO₂/kWh (43.0% low-carbon) (2025).

Plant data: WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0), id USA0010013.

Data provenance

Source of the capacity and fuel values:

capacity: Wikidata P2109; fuel: WRI GPPD

In context: how this plant compares

At 39.5 MW, Covanta Hennepin Energy is well above the median waste plant in United States of America (6.6 MW). Waste-to-energy plants burn municipal solid waste to generate electricity and heat, cutting landfill volume while recovering energy from residual waste.

Capacity comparison computed from the WRI Global Power Plant Database; fuel-type context is general engineering background.

Key facts

Load factor

56%, from 195 GWh of reported generation; the median for 506 waste plants in United States of America that report generation is 62%

Generation trend

126 GWh in 2013 and 195 GWh in 2019 (+55%)

Highest and lowest year

2017: 215 GWh; 2013: 126 GWh

Share of United States of America waste capacity

0.4% of 10,154 MW across 551 plants in this dataset

Age among peers

90 of 541 dated waste 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 Covanta Energy Co.

Local climate & thermal context

This waste plant recovers energy by combusting municipal or industrial waste. It sits in a hot-summer humid continental climate (Köppen Dfa) — Northern Hemisphere, latitude 45.0°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 68% 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: 86/100 — 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 mild atmospheric environment (estimated ISO 9223 class C2 — Low), 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 #84 largest waste power plant of 551 in United States of America by capacity.

United States of America has 551 waste power plants in this dataset, together about 10,154 MW of capacity.

Nearby power plants

• Hennepin Island · Hydro · 13.7 MW · Minnesota
• Southeast Steam Plant · Gas · 13 MW · Minnesota
• SAF Hydroelectric LLC · Hydro · 9.6 MW · Minnesota
• Univ Minnesota CHP Plant · Gas · 21 MW · Minnesota
• Riverside (MN) · Gas · 585.9 MW · Minnesota
• Riverside (MN) power station · Coal · 403.9 MW · Minnesota

Location

Coordinates 44.9833, -93.2804 from WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0). View on OpenStreetMap.

Frequently asked questions