Gonzalo Zevallos — Ecuador

Gonzalo Zevallos is a 146 MW gas power station in Guayas, Ecuador. It is operated by Electroguayas. Based on reported annual generation of 687 GWh, it can supply roughly 196k homes. It ranks #9 of 34 Ecuador power plants by installed capacity. Commissioned in 1978, it is around 48 years old — long-established. In context, gas supplies about 2.7% of Ecuador's electricity; the national grid averages 159 gCO₂/kWh (79.4% low-carbon) (2025).

Plant data: WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0), id WRI1018606.

Data provenance

Source of the capacity and fuel values:

capacity: GEM · 2026 · L100000408634; fuel: WRI GPPD

In context: how this plant compares

At 146 MW, Gonzalo Zevallos is below the median gas plant in Ecuador (181 MW). Technically it is described as Steam. 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

54%, from 687 GWh of reported generation

Share of Ecuador gas capacity

9.3% of 1,570 MW across 8 plants in this dataset

Age among peers

0 of 6 dated gas plants in Ecuador are older

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 Ecuador

Installed capacity (MW), WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0).

Owner

Operated by Electroguayas.

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) — Southern Hemisphere, latitude 2.2°S — 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 ~7% 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 #5 largest gas power plant of 8 in Ecuador by capacity.

Ecuador has 8 gas power plants in this dataset, together about 1,570 MW of capacity.

Nearby power plants

• Alvaro Tinajero · Gas · 95 MW · Guayas
• Central Termica Trinitaria · Oil · 133 MW · Guayas
• Electroquil · Gas · 181 MW · Guayas
• Pascuales power station · Gas · 260 MW · Guayas
• Enrique Garcia thermal power station · Oil · 102 MW · Guayas
• Durán power station · Oil · 120 MW · Guayas

Location

Coordinates -2.1957, -79.9539 from WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0). View on OpenStreetMap.

Frequently asked questions