Great Island is a 216 MW oil power station in Munster, Ireland. It is operated by Endesa. Based on its capacity (estimated), it can supply roughly 162k homes (estimated). It ranks #18 of 76 Ireland power plants by installed capacity. Commissioned in 2015, it is around 11 years old — relatively modern. Its modelled annual emissions are 531,350 t CO₂/yr (Climate TRACE), equivalent to about 124k cars driven for a year. In context, oil supplies about 3.0% of Ireland's electricity; the national grid averages 257 gCO₂/kWh (48.1% low-carbon) (2025).
Plant data: WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0), id WRI1002824.
Data status
Known data
Modelled source 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 · L100000400327; fuel: WRI GPPD
In context: how this plant compares
At 216 MW, Great Island is well above the median oil plant in Ireland (112 MW). Technically it is described as CCGT; combined-cycle with a heat-recovery steam generator (HRSG). 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.
~531,350 t CO₂/yr (modelled) — in everyday terms
This facility's annual emissions are roughly equivalent to:
Equivalencies via US EPA Greenhouse Gas Equivalencies; modelled emissions from Climate TRACE.
Key facts
- Share of Ireland oil capacity
- 15.4% of 1,400 MW across 7 plants in this dataset
- Age among peers
- 3 of 5 dated oil plants in Ireland are older
Calculated from the capacity and generation records in this dataset (WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0)).
Capacity vs largest oil plants in Ireland
Installed capacity (MW), WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0).
Owner
Operated by Endesa. All plants by this company →
Local climate & thermal context
This oil plant burns oil or diesel to drive turbines or reciprocating engines. It sits in a temperate oceanic climate (Köppen Cfb) — Northern Hemisphere, latitude 52.3°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 15% 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: 58/100 — 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 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 #3 largest oil power plant of 7 in Ireland by capacity.
Ireland has 7 oil power plants in this dataset, together about 1,400 MW of capacity.
Nearby power plants
- Castledockrell · Wind · 41.4 MW · Leinster
- Ballywater · Wind · 42 MW · Leinster
- Kill Hill · Wind · 36.8 MW · Munster
- Lisheen · Wind · 88.8 MW · Munster
- Bruckana · Wind · 42 MW · Leinster
- Raheenleagh Wind Farm · Wind · 35 MW · Leinster
Location
Coordinates 52.2793, -6.9935 from WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0). View on OpenStreetMap.
Frequently asked questions
What type of power plant is Great Island?
Great Island is a 216 MW oil power plant in Munster, Ireland, commissioned in 2015.
Who operates Great Island?
Great Island is operated by Endesa.
How much CO₂ does Great Island emit?
Great Island has modelled emissions of about 531,350 tonnes of CO₂ per year (Climate TRACE).