Granite City Works — United States of America

Granite City Works is a 78 MW other power plant in Illinois, United States of America. It is operated by United States Steel Granite City Works. Based on reported annual generation of 501 GWh, it can supply roughly 143k homes. It ranks #3119 of 10,884 United States of America power plants by installed capacity. Commissioned in 2010, it is around 16 years old — relatively modern. In context, the national grid averages 384 gCO₂/kWh (43.0% low-carbon) (2025).

Plant data: WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0), id USA0057072.

Data provenance

Source of the capacity and fuel values:

capacity: Wikidata P2109; fuel: WRI GPPD

In context: how this plant compares

At 78 MW, Granite City Works is well above the median other plant in United States of America (22 MW). This facility converts its energy source into electricity for the grid; its capacity, fuel type and location determine its role in the national power mix.

Capacity comparison computed from the WRI Global Power Plant Database; fuel-type context is general engineering background.

Key facts

Load factor

73%, from 501 GWh of reported generation; the median for 14 other plants in United States of America that report generation is 50%

Generation trend

464 GWh in 2013 and 501 GWh in 2019 (+8%)

Highest and lowest year

2019: 501 GWh; 2018: 446 GWh

Share of United States of America other capacity

11.5% of 681 MW across 19 plants in this dataset

Age among peers

13 of 16 dated other 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 United States Steel Granite City Works.

Local climate & thermal context

This other plant generates electricity for the grid. It sits in a humid subtropical climate (Köppen Cfa) — Northern Hemisphere, latitude 38.7°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 3% 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: 51/100 — 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 #2 largest other power plant of 19 in United States of America by capacity.

United States of America has 19 other power plants in this dataset, together about 681 MW of capacity.

Nearby power plants

• Milam Gas Recovery · Gas · 2.4 MW · Illinois
• Venice · Gas · 586 MW · Illinois
• Trigen St. Louis · Gas · 38 MW · Missouri
• Southwestern Bell Telephone · Oil · 17.2 MW · Missouri
• IKEA St. Louis 410 · Solar · 1 MW · Missouri
• Anheuser-Busch St Louis · Gas · 26.1 MW · Missouri

Location

Coordinates 38.6972, -90.1283 from WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0). View on OpenStreetMap.

Frequently asked questions