Independence Steam Electric Station — United States of America
Coal power plant in Arkansas, United States of America. Approximate location 35.6784, -91.4088.
CoalArkansasUnited States of AmericaCO₂ measured
Independence Steam Electric Station is a 1,800 MW coal power station in Arkansas, United States of America. It is operated by Entergy Arkansas LLC. Based on reported annual generation of 5,656 GWh, it can supply roughly 1.6 million homes. It ranks #221 of 10,884 United States of America power plants by installed capacity. Commissioned in 1984, it is around 42 years old — long-established. Its annual emissions of 5,566,309 t CO₂/yr (US EPA GHGRP) are equivalent to about 1.3 million cars driven for a year. In context, coal supplies about 16.3% 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 USA0006641.
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: GEM · 2026 · L100000103794; fuel: WRI GPPD
In context: how this plant compares
At 1,800 MW, Independence Steam Electric Station is well above the median coal plant in United States of America (558 MW). 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.
5,566,309 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
- 36%, from 5,656 GWh of reported generation; the median for 244 coal plants in United States of America that report generation is 41%
- Generation trend
- 10,390 GWh in 2013 and 5,656 GWh in 2019 (−46%)
- Highest and lowest year
- 2014: 10,990 GWh; 2015: 5,184 GWh
- Share of United States of America coal capacity
- 0.3% of 621,194 MW across 802 plants in this dataset
- Age among peers
- 532 of 745 dated coal 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 Entergy Arkansas LLC. All plants by this company →
Local climate & thermal context
This coal plant burns coal to raise high-pressure steam that spins a turbine-generator. It sits in a humid subtropical climate (Köppen Cfa) — Northern Hemisphere, latitude 35.7°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 27% 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: 39/100 — 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 #78 largest coal power plant of 802 in United States of America by capacity.
United States of America has 802 coal power plants in this dataset, together about 621,194 MW of capacity.
Nearby power plants
- Independence Steam Station · Coal · 1,800 MW · Arkansas
- White River Lock and Dam 1 · Hydro · 4.3 MW · Arkansas
- White River Lock and Dam 2 · Hydro · 3.5 MW · Arkansas
- White River Lock and Dam 3 · Hydro · 4.3 MW · Arkansas
- Carl Bailey · Gas · 120 MW · Arkansas
- Greers Ferry Lake · Hydro · 96 MW · Arkansas
Location
Coordinates 35.6784, -91.4088 from WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0). View on OpenStreetMap.
Frequently asked questions
What type of power plant is Independence Steam Electric Station?
Independence Steam Electric Station is a 1,800 MW coal power plant in Arkansas, United States of America, commissioned in 1984.
How much electricity does Independence Steam Electric Station generate?
Independence Steam Electric Station generates about 5,656 GWh of electricity per year.
Who operates Independence Steam Electric Station?
Independence Steam Electric Station is operated by Entergy Arkansas LLC.
How much CO₂ does Independence Steam Electric Station emit?
Independence Steam Electric Station has measured emissions of about 5,566,309 tonnes of CO₂ per year (US EPA GHGRP).