Francistown APR power station is a 70 MW oil power plant in Francistown, Botswana. It is operated by Botswana Power Corp [100%]. Based on its capacity (estimated), it can supply roughly 53k homes (estimated). It ranks #11 of 12 Botswana power plants by installed capacity. Commissioned in 2010, it is around 16 years old — relatively modern. In context, oil supplies about 1.5% of Botswana's electricity; the national grid averages 851 gCO₂/kWh (0.3% low-carbon) (2024).
Plant data: WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0), id GOGPT_francistownapr_botswa.
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 · L100000408150; fuel: GEM GOGPT
In context: how this plant compares
Technically it is described as Engine. Oil-fired plants burn heavy fuel oil or diesel, usually as peaking or backup capacity on islands and grids without gas pipelines; high fuel cost keeps their utilisation low.
Capacity comparison computed from the WRI Global Power Plant Database; fuel-type context is general engineering background.
Owner
Operated by Botswana Power Corp [100%].
Local climate & thermal context
This oil plant burns oil or diesel to drive turbines or reciprocating engines. It sits in a hot semi-arid steppe climate (Köppen BSh) — Southern Hemisphere, latitude 21.2°S — which shapes how much energy it can produce and how its output varies through the year.
Monthly mean temperature
Heating degree-days here run 93% 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: 16/100 — 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 a benign, low-corrosion environment (estimated ISO 9223 class C1 — Very low), with dust abrasion 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
Botswana has 1 oil power plant in this dataset, together about 70 MW of capacity.
Nearby power plants
- Sua Pan Soda Ash · Coal · 14 MW · North East
- Sese Integrated Power Project · Coal · 450 MW · North-East
- Gwayi Mine power station · Coal · 600 MW · Bulawayo
- Gwayi power station (Shanghai) · Coal · 1,200 MW · Bulawayo
- Bulawayo power station · Coal · 90 MW · Bulawayo
Location
Coordinates -21.167217, 27.518818 from WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0). View on OpenStreetMap.
Frequently asked questions
What type of power plant is Francistown APR power station?
Francistown APR power station is a 70 MW oil power plant in Francistown, Botswana, commissioned in 2010.
Who operates Francistown APR power station?
Francistown APR power station is operated by Botswana Power Corp [100%].