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Karachipampa Power Plant Bolivia

Gas power plant in Potosi, Bolivia. Approximate location -19.551, -65.722.

GasPotosiBolivia

Karachipampa Power Plant Bolivia is a 14 MW gas power plant in Potosi, Bolivia. Based on its capacity (estimated), it can supply roughly 16k homes (estimated). It ranks #24 of 30 Bolivia power plants by installed capacity. In context, gas supplies about 62.4% of Bolivia's electricity; the national grid averages 481 gCO₂/kWh (36.1% low-carbon) (2025).

14Legacy source-record capacity
16,218homes powered (est.)

Plant data: WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0), id GEODB0044756.

Data status

Known data

FacilityKarachipampa Power Plant Bolivia WRI
CountryBolivia · Potosi WRI
Coordinates-19.551, -65.722 WRI
FuelGas WRI
MW installed capacity14 MW WRI source record; scope not independently normalised

Calculated from dataset

CO₂ emissions22,706 t CO₂/yr calculated
Capacity rank in country#24 of 30 calculated
Fuel-specific rank in country#13 of 13 calculated
Capacity vs country/fuel peers0.12× · 120 MW median · 13 peers calculated
Homes-powered equivalent16,218 calculated
Climate10.2°C · HDD 2,867 derived from coordinates
Environmental severityC1 · 28/100 derived from coordinates

Not available

OwnerNot available not in dataset
CommissionedNot available not in dataset
TechnologyNot available not in dataset
GWh reported / yrNot available not in dataset

Known, modelled and calculated values are kept separate. Missing fields are shown as unavailable.

Data provenance

The capacity and fuel fields on this page are source-record values from the upstream open dataset. They are useful for identification and ranking, but they have not been upgraded to a 2026 registry/GEM-location verified value.

capacity: WRI Global Power Plant Database source-record (legacy); fuel: WRI source-record fuel

In context: how this plant compares

At 14 MW, Karachipampa Power Plant Bolivia is below the median gas plant in Bolivia (120 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.

Capacity vs largest gas plants in Bolivia

Warnes power station: 530 MW530Warnes pow…Del Sur power station: 508 MW508Del Sur po…Guaracachi CCGT Power Plant Bolivia: 350 MW350Guaracachi…Valle Hermoso Power Plant Bolivia: 167 MW167Valle Herm…Carrasco OCGT Power Plant Bolivia: 153 MW153Carrasco O…Caranavi power station: 140 MW140Caranavi p…Entre Rios Power Plant Bolivia: 120 MW120Entre Rios…Mutún power station: 108 MW108Mutún powe…

Installed capacity (MW), WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0).

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 cold semi-arid steppe climate (Köppen BSk) — Southern Hemisphere, latitude 19.6°S — which shapes how much energy it can produce and how its output varies through the year.

10.2°Cannual mean temp
2,867heating degree-days (base 18°C)
0cooling degree-days (base 18°C)
3,823 melevation

Monthly mean temperature

J: 12 °CJF: 12 °CFM: 12 °CMA: 11 °CAM: 9 °CMJ: 7 °CJJ: 7 °CJA: 8 °CAS: 9 °CSO: 11 °CON: 12 °CND: 12 °CD12 °C

Heating degree-days here run 17% 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: 59/100 — 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

For a plant’s outdoor hardware — heat-recovery steam generators (HRSG), expansion joints, valves, flanges and their insulation — the local climate sets how fast unprotected steel and coatings degrade. 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)
28/100environmental-severity index
5.6°Cseasonal temperature swing
474 kmdistance to coast

Higher environmental severity is exactly where protective removable insulation pays back most: a sheltered micro-climate slows corrosion, UV and thermal-cycling damage and extends outdoor hardware service life. This is an indicative site-climate context — not a condition assessment of any specific plant or operator.

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 #13 largest gas power plant of 13 in Bolivia by capacity.

Bolivia has 13 gas power plants in this dataset, together about 2,339 MW of capacity.

Nearby power plants

Location

Coordinates -19.551, -65.722 from WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0). View on OpenStreetMap.

Frequently asked questions

What type of power plant is Karachipampa Power Plant Bolivia?

Karachipampa Power Plant Bolivia is a 14 MW source-record gas power plant in Potosi, Bolivia.

How many homes can Karachipampa Power Plant Bolivia power?

Its output is enough to supply roughly 16,218 homes (estimated).

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