Holyrood — Canada

Holyrood is a 490 MW oil power station in Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada. It is operated by Newfoundland and Labrador Hydro [100%]. Based on its capacity (estimated), it can supply roughly 368k homes (estimated). It ranks #84 of 1,210 Canada power plants by installed capacity. Commissioned in 1969, it is around 57 years old — an older, legacy facility. In context, oil supplies about 1.2% of Canada's electricity; the national grid averages 191 gCO₂/kWh (77.0% low-carbon) (2025).

Plant data: WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0), id CAN0002054.

Data provenance

Source of the capacity and fuel values:

capacity: GEM · 2026 · L100000408867; fuel: WRI GPPD

In context: how this plant compares

At 490 MW, Holyrood is well above the median oil plant in Canada (109 MW). Technically it is described as Steam. 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.

Key facts

Share of Canada oil capacity

19.9% of 2,463 MW across 9 plants in this dataset

Age among peers

2 of 8 dated oil plants in Canada 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 Canada

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

Owner

Operated by Newfoundland and Labrador Hydro [100%].

Local climate & thermal context

This oil plant burns oil or diesel to drive turbines or reciprocating engines. It sits in a warm-summer humid continental climate (Köppen Dfb) — Northern Hemisphere, latitude 47.5°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 91% 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: 92/100 — this site sits in the top 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 oil power plant of 9 in Canada by capacity.

Canada has 9 oil power plants in this dataset, together about 2,463 MW of capacity.

Nearby power plants

• Seal Cove · Hydro · 3.5 MW · Newfoundland and Labrador
• Topsail · Hydro · 2.6 MW · Newfoundland and Labrador
• Morris · Hydro · 1.1 MW · Newfoundland and Labrador
• Pierres Brook · Hydro · 4.3 MW · Newfoundland and Labrador
• Petty Harbour · Hydro · 4.9 MW · Newfoundland and Labrador
• Mobile · Hydro · 12 MW · Newfoundland and Labrador

Location

Coordinates 47.4532, -53.0976 from WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0). View on OpenStreetMap.

Frequently asked questions