James River Power Station — United States of America
Gas power plant in Missouri, United States of America. Approximate location 37.1086, -93.2619.
GasMissouriUnited States of AmericaSteamCO₂ measured
James River Power Station is a 362.5 MW gas power station in Missouri, United States of America. It is operated by City Utilities of Springfield - (MO). Based on reported annual generation of 134 GWh, it can supply roughly 38k homes. It ranks #1436 of 10,884 United States of America power plants by installed capacity. Commissioned in 1980, it is around 46 years old — long-established. Its annual emissions of 99,439 t CO₂/yr (US EPA GHGRP) are equivalent to about 23k cars driven for a year. In context, gas supplies about 40.0% 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 USA0002161.
Data status
Known data
Calculated from dataset
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 198 MW for James River 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
At 362.5 MW, James River Power Station is well above the median gas plant in United States of America (121.2 MW). Technically it is described as Steam. Gas plants burn natural gas either in open-cycle turbines for fast peaking, or in combined-cycle units that recover exhaust heat in an HRSG to reach roughly 55–62% efficiency — the cleanest-burning fossil option.
Capacity comparison computed from the WRI Global Power Plant Database; fuel-type context is general engineering background.
99,439 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
- 4%, from 134 GWh of reported generation; the median for 1622 gas plants in United States of America that report generation is 26%
- Generation trend
- 714 GWh in 2014 and 134 GWh in 2019 (−81%)
- Highest and lowest year
- 2014: 714 GWh; 2017: 84 GWh
- Share of United States of America gas capacity
- less than 0.1% of 789,950 MW across 2,165 plants in this dataset
- Age among peers
- 312 of 1,973 dated gas 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 City Utilities of Springfield - (MO). All plants by this company →
Local climate & thermal context
This gas plant burns natural gas in a turbine — often in a combined-cycle setup — to generate electricity. It sits in a humid subtropical climate (Köppen Cfa) — Northern Hemisphere, latitude 37.1°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 3% 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: 49/100 — this site sits in the mid third of the power plants we cover by heating degree-days.
A gas turbine here also runs ~0% below its ISO (15°C) rating at this annual mean (typical CCGT curve, estimate).
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 #708 largest gas power plant of 2165 in United States of America by capacity.
United States of America has 2165 gas power plants in this dataset, together about 789,950 MW of capacity.
Nearby power plants
- James River power station · Coal · 198 MW · Missouri
- Cox Battery Energy Storage · Storage · 1.2 MW · Missouri
- Nixa Solar LLC · Solar · 7.9 MW · Missouri
- John Twitty Energy Center · Coal · 603 MW · Missouri
- John Twitty Energy Center · Coal · 494 MW · Missouri
- Springfield Solar 1 LLC · Solar · 4.9 MW · Missouri
Location
Coordinates 37.1086, -93.2619 from WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0). View on OpenStreetMap.
Frequently asked questions
What type of power plant is James River Power Station?
James River Power Station is a 362.5 MW gas power plant in Missouri, United States of America, commissioned in 1980.
How much electricity does James River Power Station generate?
James River Power Station generates about 134 GWh of electricity per year.
Who operates James River Power Station?
James River Power Station is operated by City Utilities of Springfield - (MO).
How much CO₂ does James River Power Station emit?
James River Power Station has measured emissions of about 99,439 tonnes of CO₂ per year (US EPA GHGRP).