ESCOMBRERAS GRUPO 1 — Spain

ESCOMBRERAS GRUPO 1 is a 1,199.2 MW gas power station in Ashanti, Spain. It is operated by GDF SUEZ CARTAGENA ENERGIA S.L.. Based on reported annual generation of 2,368 GWh, it can supply roughly 676k homes. It ranks #11 of 899 Spain power plants by installed capacity. Commissioned in 2006, it is around 20 years old — relatively modern. In context, gas supplies about 21.6% of Spain's electricity; the national grid averages 154 gCO₂/kWh (74.6% low-carbon) (2025).

Plant data: WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0), id WRI1006467.

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 1,199.2 MW, ESCOMBRERAS GRUPO 1 is well above the median gas plant in Spain (54 MW). 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

23%, from 2,368 GWh of reported generation; the median for 24 gas plants in Spain that report generation is 15%

Generation trend

1,683 GWh in 2015 and 2,368 GWh in 2017 (+41%)

Highest and lowest year

2017: 2,368 GWh; 2016: 479 GWh

Share of Spain gas capacity

3.7% of 32,018 MW across 95 plants in this dataset

Age among peers

43 of 83 dated gas plants in Spain 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 GDF SUEZ CARTAGENA ENERGIA S.L..

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 savanna climate (Köppen Aw) — Northern Hemisphere, latitude 7.6°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 a moderately corrosive environment (estimated ISO 9223 class C3 — Medium), 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 #6 largest gas power plant of 95 in Spain by capacity.

Spain has 95 gas power plants in this dataset, together about 32,018 MW of capacity.

Nearby power plants

• Bui · Hydro · 400 MW · Brong-Ahafo

Location

Coordinates 7.5732, -0.9392 from WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0). View on OpenStreetMap.

Frequently asked questions