Gowanus Gas Turbines Generating — United States of America
Oil power plant in New York, United States of America. Approximate location 40.6635, -74.0051.
OilNew YorkUnited States of AmericaCO₂ measured
Gowanus Gas Turbines Generating is a 640 MW oil power station in New York, United States of America. It is operated by U S Power Generating Company LLC. Based on reported annual generation of 8 GWh, it can supply roughly 2.1k homes. It ranks #992 of 10,884 United States of America power plants by installed capacity. Commissioned in 1971, it is around 55 years old — an older, legacy facility. Its annual emissions of 9,141 t CO₂/yr (US EPA GHGRP) are equivalent to about 2.1k cars driven for a year. In context, oil supplies about 0.7% 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 USA0002494.
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: Wikidata P2109; fuel: WRI GPPD
In context: how this plant compares
At 640 MW, Gowanus Gas Turbines Generating is well above the median oil plant in United States of America (7.2 MW). 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.
9,141 t CO₂/yr — in everyday terms
This facility's annual emissions are roughly equivalent to:
Equivalencies via US EPA Greenhouse Gas Equivalencies; emissions per US EPA GHGRP (measured for US EPA/EU ETS, modelled for Climate TRACE).
Key facts
- Load factor
- 0%, from 8 GWh of reported generation, in line with the 0% median for 469 oil plants in United States of America
- Generation trend
- 54 GWh in 2013 and 8 GWh in 2019 (−86%)
- Highest and lowest year
- 2013: 54 GWh; 2017: 7 GWh
- Share of United States of America oil capacity
- 1.6% of 40,022 MW across 902 plants in this dataset
- Age among peers
- 137 of 877 dated oil 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 U S Power Generating Company LLC.
Local climate & thermal context
This oil plant burns oil or diesel to drive turbines or reciprocating engines. It sits in a humid subtropical climate (Köppen Cfa) — Northern Hemisphere, latitude 40.7°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 8% 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: 53/100 — this site sits in the mid 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 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 #14 largest oil power plant of 902 in United States of America by capacity.
United States of America has 902 oil power plants in this dataset, together about 40,022 MW of capacity.
Nearby power plants
- Joseph J Seymour Power Project · Gas · 94 MW · New York
- Narrows Gas Turbines Generating · Gas · 352 MW · New York
- New York Methodist Hospital · Oil · 4.4 MW · New York
- NYU Luthern Medical Center · Oil · 4.6 MW · New York
- Maimonides Medical Center · Oil · 3.9 MW · New York
- Brooklyn Hospital Center · Oil · 1.4 MW · New York
Location
Coordinates 40.6635, -74.0051 from WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0). View on OpenStreetMap.
Frequently asked questions
What type of power plant is Gowanus Gas Turbines Generating?
Gowanus Gas Turbines Generating is a 640 MW oil power plant in New York, United States of America, commissioned in 1971.
How much electricity does Gowanus Gas Turbines Generating generate?
Gowanus Gas Turbines Generating generates about 8 GWh of electricity per year.
Who operates Gowanus Gas Turbines Generating?
Gowanus Gas Turbines Generating is operated by U S Power Generating Company LLC.
How much CO₂ does Gowanus Gas Turbines Generating emit?
Gowanus Gas Turbines Generating has measured emissions of about 9,141 tonnes of CO₂ per year (US EPA GHGRP).