Effingham County Power Project — United States of America

Effingham County Power Project is a 596.6 MW gas power station in Georgia, United States of America. It is operated by SEPG Operating Services LLC Effingham. Based on reported annual generation of 2,135 GWh, it can supply roughly 610k homes. It ranks #1076 of 10,884 United States of America power plants by installed capacity. Commissioned in 2003, it is around 23 years old — relatively modern. In context, gas supplies about 40.0% 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 USA0055406.

Data provenance

Source of the capacity and fuel values:

capacity: GEM · 2026 · L100000401610; fuel: WRI GPPD

In context: how this plant compares

At 596.6 MW, Effingham County Power Project is well above the median gas plant in United States of America (121.2 MW). Technically it is described as CCGT; combined-cycle with a heat-recovery steam generator (HRSG). 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

Load factor

41%, from 2,135 GWh of reported generation; the median for 1622 gas plants in United States of America that report generation is 26%

Generation trend

1,216 GWh in 2013 and 2,135 GWh in 2019 (+76%)

Highest and lowest year

2015: 2,715 GWh; 2013: 1,216 GWh

Share of United States of America gas capacity

less than 0.1% of 789,950 MW across 2,165 plants in this dataset

Age among peers

1,160 of 1,973 dated gas 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 SEPG Operating Services LLC Effingham.

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 humid subtropical climate (Köppen Cfa) — Northern Hemisphere, latitude 32.3°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 64% 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: 25/100 — this site sits in the bottom third of the power plants we cover by heating degree-days.

A gas turbine here also runs ~3% 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 a corrosive environment (estimated ISO 9223 class C4 — High), with humidity / wetness 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 #492 largest gas power plant of 2165 in United States of America by capacity.

United States of America has 2165 gas power plants in this dataset, together about 789,950 MW of capacity.

Nearby power plants

• Bobby C Smith Jr Energy Facility · Gas · 596.6 MW · Georgia
• Rincon Solar I · Solar · 18.4 MW · Georgia
• Savannah River Mill · Petcoke · 140.4 MW · Georgia
• McIntosh Combined Cycle Facility · Gas · 1,376 MW · Georgia
• McIntosh · Gas · 810.4 MW · Georgia
• McIntosh Steam Plant · Coal · 177.6 MW · South Carolina

Location

Coordinates 32.2773, -81.2844 from WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0). View on OpenStreetMap.

Frequently asked questions