Firebag 3 — Canada
Gas power plant in Alberta, Canada. Approximate location 57.2417, -110.8547.
GasAlbertaCanada
Firebag 3 is a 170 MW gas power station in Alberta, Canada. It is operated by Suncor. Based on its capacity (estimated), it can supply roughly 191k homes (estimated). It ranks #185 of 1,210 Canada power plants by installed capacity. In context, gas supplies about 17.8% of Canada's electricity; the national grid averages 191 gCO₂/kWh (77.0% low-carbon) (2025).
Plant data: WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0), id CAN0002046.
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 · L100000405214; fuel: WRI GPPD
In context: how this plant compares
At 170 MW, Firebag 3 is around the median gas plant in Canada (170 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
- Share of Canada gas capacity
- 0.5% of 37,176 MW across 112 plants in this dataset
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 Canada
Installed capacity (MW), WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0).
Owner
Operated by Suncor.
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 subarctic (boreal) climate (Köppen Dfc) — Northern Hemisphere, latitude 57.2°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 179% 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: 99/100 — this site sits in the top third of the power plants we cover by heating degree-days.
A gas turbine here also runs ~0% 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 benign, low-corrosion environment (estimated ISO 9223 class C1 — Very 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 #53 largest gas power plant of 112 in Canada by capacity.
Canada has 112 gas power plants in this dataset, together about 37,176 MW of capacity.
Nearby power plants
- Firebag 4 · Gas · 160 MW · Alberta
- Firebag · Gas · 104 MW · Alberta
- Lewis Oil Sands Project power station · Gas · 170 MW · Alberta
- Muskeg River · Gas · 202 MW · Alberta
- Aurora · Gas · 160 MW · Alberta
- Poplar Creek · Gas · 360 MW · Alberta
Location
Coordinates 57.2417, -110.8547 from WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0). View on OpenStreetMap.
Frequently asked questions
What type of power plant is Firebag 3?
Firebag 3 is a 170 MW gas power plant in Alberta, Canada.
Who operates Firebag 3?
Firebag 3 is operated by Suncor.