CPI USA NC Southport — United States of America

CPI USA NC Southport is a 135 MW waste power station in North Carolina, United States of America. It is operated by CPI USA NC Southport LLC. Based on reported annual generation of 458 GWh, it can supply roughly 131k homes. It ranks #2393 of 10,884 United States of America power plants by installed capacity. Commissioned in 1987, it is around 39 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 USA0010378.

Data provenance

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

capacity: WRI GPPD; fuel: WRI GPPD

In context: how this plant compares

At 135 MW, CPI USA NC Southport 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

39%, from 458 GWh of reported generation; the median for 506 waste plants in United States of America that report generation is 62%

Generation trend

434 GWh in 2013 and 458 GWh in 2019 (+6%)

Highest and lowest year

2016: 515 GWh; 2017: 424 GWh

Share of United States of America waste capacity

1.3% of 10,154 MW across 551 plants in this dataset

Age among peers

58 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 CPI USA NC Southport LLC.

Local climate & thermal context

This waste plant recovers energy by combusting municipal or industrial waste. It sits in a humid subtropical climate (Köppen Cfa) — Northern Hemisphere, latitude 33.9°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 54% below 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: 28/100 — this site sits in the bottom 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 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 #2 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

• Brunswick Nuclear · Nuclear · 1,950 MW · North Carolina
• Archer Daniels Midland Southport · Gas · 52.5 MW · North Carolina
• AGA TAG Solar IV LLC · Solar · 4.9 MW · North Carolina
• ATOOD Solar IV LLC · Solar · 5 MW · North Carolina
• Sutton Steam Plant · Coal · 671.6 MW · North Carolina
• L V Sutton Combined Cycle · Gas · 852 MW · North Carolina

Location

Coordinates 33.9444, -78.0118 from WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0). View on OpenStreetMap.

Frequently asked questions