Kalgoorlie Nickel Smelter is a 42 MW gas power plant in Western Australia, Australia. It is operated by Southern Cross Energy. Based on reported annual generation of 1 GWh, it can supply roughly 400 homes. It ranks #282 of 536 Australia power plants by installed capacity. Its modelled annual emissions are 30,829 t CO₂/yr (Climate TRACE), equivalent to about 7.2k cars driven for a year. In context, gas supplies about 16.4% of Australia's electricity; the national grid averages 525 gCO₂/kWh (38.6% low-carbon) (2025).
Plant data: WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0), id AUS0000209.
Data status
Known data
Modelled source data
Calculated from dataset
Not available
Known, modelled and calculated values are kept separate. Missing fields are shown as unavailable.
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 42 MW, Kalgoorlie Nickel Smelter is below the median gas plant in Australia (106 MW). 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.
~30,829 t CO₂/yr (modelled) — in everyday terms
This facility's annual emissions are roughly equivalent to:
Equivalencies via US EPA Greenhouse Gas Equivalencies; modelled emissions from Climate TRACE.
Key facts
- Load factor
- 0%, from 1 GWh of reported generation; the median for 84 gas plants in Australia that report generation is 24%
- Generation trend
- 4 GWh in 2013 and 1 GWh in 2018 (−65%)
- Highest and lowest year
- 2013: 4 GWh; 2017: 0 GWh
- Share of Australia gas capacity
- 0.1% of 29,942 MW across 163 plants in this dataset
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 Southern Cross Energy.
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 hot semi-arid steppe climate (Köppen BSh) — Southern Hemisphere, latitude 30.9°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 69% 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: 24/100 — this site sits in the bottom third of the power plants we cover by heating degree-days.
A gas turbine here also runs ~3% 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 benign, low-corrosion environment (estimated ISO 9223 class C1 — Very low), with dust abrasion 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 #110 largest gas power plant of 163 in Australia by capacity.
Australia has 163 gas power plants in this dataset, together about 29,942 MW of capacity.
Nearby power plants
- West Kalgoorlie · Oil · 60 MW · Western Australia
- Kalgoorlie (Parkeston) · Gas · 110 MW · Western Australia
- Southern Cross power station · Gas · 244 MW · Western Australia
- Kambalda · Gas · 42 MW · Western Australia
- Cawse Nickel Mine · Gas · 21 MW · Western Australia
- Norseman Mine · Oil · 9 MW · Western Australia
Location
Coordinates -30.8737, 121.4842 from WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0). View on OpenStreetMap.
Frequently asked questions
What type of power plant is Kalgoorlie Nickel Smelter?
Kalgoorlie Nickel Smelter is a 42 MW gas power plant in Western Australia, Australia.
How much electricity does Kalgoorlie Nickel Smelter generate?
Kalgoorlie Nickel Smelter generates about 1 GWh of electricity per year.
Who operates Kalgoorlie Nickel Smelter?
Kalgoorlie Nickel Smelter is operated by Southern Cross Energy.
How much CO₂ does Kalgoorlie Nickel Smelter emit?
Kalgoorlie Nickel Smelter has modelled emissions of about 30,829 tonnes of CO₂ per year (Climate TRACE).