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Intermountain Power Project — United States of America

Coal power plant in Utah, United States of America. Approximate location 39.5097, -112.5802.

CoalUtahUnited States of AmericaMitsubishi Power: M501JACCO₂ measured

Intermountain Power Project is a 1,640 MW coal power station in Utah, United States of America. It is operated by Los Angeles Department of Water & Power. Based on reported annual generation of 7,562 GWh, it can supply roughly 2.2 million homes. It ranks #278 of 10,884 United States of America power plants by installed capacity. Commissioned in 1986, it is around 40 years old — long-established. Its annual emissions of 4,427,131 t CO₂/yr (US EPA GHGRP) are equivalent to about 1.0 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).

1,640MW installed capacity
7,562GWh reported / yr
2,160,514homes powered
4,427,131t CO₂ / yr (US EPA GHGRP)
1986commissioned (~40 yrs)

Plant data: WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0), id USA0006481.

Data status

Known data

FacilityIntermountain Power Project WRI
CountryUnited States of America · Utah WRI
Coordinates39.5097, -112.5802 WRI
FuelCoal WRI
MW installed capacity1,640 MW GEM · 2026 · L100000104225; part of a generating complex
Verification noteQuality label backfilled from existing source-backed capacity provenance on 2026-07-05; capacity value was not changed. source-verified
OwnerLos Angeles Department of Water & Power WRI
Commissioned1986 WRI
TechnologyMitsubishi Power: M501JAC WRI
GWh reported / yr7,562 GWh·a⁻¹ WRI
CO₂ emissions4,427,131 t CO₂·a⁻¹ measured · US EPA GHGRP

Calculated from dataset

Capacity rank in country#278 / 10884 calculated
Fuel-specific rank in country#112 / 802 calculated
Capacity vs country/fuel peers2.94× · 558 MW · n=802 calculated
Homes-powered equivalent2,160,514 calculated from reported generation
Climate10.9°C · HDD 3,101 derived from coordinates
Environmental severityC1 · 40/100 derived from coordinates

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 · L100000104225; fuel: WRI GPPD

In context: how this plant compares

At 1,640 MW, Intermountain Power Project is well above the median coal plant in United States of America (558 MW). Technically it is described as Mitsubishi Power: M501JAC. 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.

4,427,131 t CO₂/yr — in everyday terms

This facility's annual emissions are roughly equivalent to:

25krailcars of coal burned
1.0 milliongasoline cars driven for a year
1.3kwind turbines running for a year
0.58%of the CO₂ from all United States of America power plants with an emissions figure in PowerAtlas

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
53%, from 7,562 GWh of reported generation; the median for 244 coal plants in United States of America that report generation is 41%
Generation trend
12,387 GWh in 2013 and 7,562 GWh in 2019 (−39%)
Highest and lowest year
2013: 12,387 GWh; 2019: 7,562 GWh
Share of United States of America coal capacity
0.3% of 621,194 MW across 802 plants in this dataset
Age among peers
561 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

2013: 12,387 GWh20132014: 12,370 GWh20142015: 10,861 GWh20152016: 8,404 GWh20162017: 8,414 GWh20172018: 8,499 GWh20182019: 7,562 GWh201912k GWh

Annual generation (GWh), WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0).

Local climate & thermal context

This coal plant burns coal to raise high-pressure steam that spins a turbine-generator. It sits in a cold semi-arid steppe climate (Köppen BSk) — Northern Hemisphere, latitude 39.5°N — which shapes how much energy it can produce and how its output varies through the year.

10.9°Cannual mean temp
3,101heating degree-days (base 18°C)
531cooling degree-days (base 18°C)
1,465 melevation

Monthly mean temperature

J: -3 °CJF: 1 °CFM: 6 °CMA: 10 °CAM: 15 °CMJ: 21 °CJJ: 25 °CJA: 24 °CAS: 18 °CSO: 11 °CON: 4 °CND: -2 °CD25 °C

Heating degree-days here run 26% 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: 65/100 — 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 benign, low-corrosion environment (estimated ISO 9223 class C1 — Very low), with dust abrasion the leading environmental stress.

C1ISO 9223 corrosivity (indicative)
40/100environmental-severity index
28.0°Cseasonal temperature swing
801 kmdistance to coast

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 #112 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

Location

Coordinates 39.5097, -112.5802 from WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0). View on OpenStreetMap.

Frequently asked questions

What type of power plant is Intermountain Power Project?

Intermountain Power Project is a 1,640 MW coal power plant in Utah, United States of America, commissioned in 1986.

How much electricity does Intermountain Power Project generate?

Intermountain Power Project generates about 7,562 GWh of electricity per year.

Who operates Intermountain Power Project?

Intermountain Power Project is operated by Los Angeles Department of Water & Power.

How much CO₂ does Intermountain Power Project emit?

Intermountain Power Project has measured emissions of about 4,427,131 tonnes of CO₂ per year (US EPA GHGRP).

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