Huntly (steam) — New Zealand
Coal power plant in Waikato, New Zealand. Approximate location -37.5444, 175.15.
CoalWaikatoNew Zealand
Huntly (steam) is a 500 MW coal power station in Waikato, New Zealand. It is operated by Genesis Energy. Based on its capacity (estimated), it can supply roughly 626k homes (estimated). It ranks #5 of 50 New Zealand power plants by installed capacity. In context, coal supplies about 1.1% of New Zealand's electricity; the national grid averages 93 gCO₂/kWh (88.5% low-carbon) (2025).
Plant data: WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0), id WRI1000306.
Data status
Known data
Calculated from dataset
Not available
Known, modelled and calculated values are kept separate. Missing fields are shown as unavailable.
Capacity provenance
The public capacity above is the current source-record value. A 2026 tracker candidate lists 750 MW for Huntly power station, but it is not used as the public primary value until scope is verified (unit vs operating vs installed/project total).
Data provenance
Capacity and fuel are the upstream open-dataset record, not yet matched to a 2026 registry or GEM entry.
capacity: WRI GPPD; fuel: WRI GPPD
In context: how this plant compares
Coal plants burn pulverised coal to raise high-pressure steam for a turbine; they run as baseload but are the most carbon-intensive mainstream source and the first targeted for retirement or efficiency retrofits.
Capacity comparison computed from the WRI Global Power Plant Database; fuel-type context is general engineering background.
Owner
Operated by Genesis Energy.
Local climate & thermal context
This coal plant burns coal to raise high-pressure steam that spins a turbine-generator. It sits in a temperate oceanic climate (Köppen Cfb) — Southern Hemisphere, latitude 37.5°S — which shapes how much energy it can produce and how its output varies through the year.
Monthly mean temperature
Heating degree-days here run 39% below 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: 34/100 — 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
New Zealand has 1 coal power plant in this dataset, together about 500 MW of capacity.
Nearby power plants
- Huntly (CC) · Gas · 403 MW · Waikato
- Huntly (unit 6) · Gas · 60 MW · Waikato
- Huntly power station · Gas · 454 MW · Waikato
- Te Rapa · Gas · 44 MW · Waikato
- Te Uku · Wind · 64 MW · Waikato
- Glenbrook power station · Gas · 112 MW · Auckland
Location
Coordinates -37.5444, 175.15 from WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0). View on OpenStreetMap.
Frequently asked questions
What type of power plant is Huntly (steam)?
Huntly (steam) is a 500 MW coal power plant in Waikato, New Zealand.
Who operates Huntly (steam)?
Huntly (steam) is operated by Genesis Energy.