KARAIKAL is a 32.5 MW gas power plant in Pondicherry, India. Based on reported annual generation of 214 GWh, it can supply roughly 61k homes. It ranks #1280 of 2,225 India power plants by installed capacity. Commissioned in 2000, it is around 26 years old — long-established. Its modelled annual emissions are 27,665 t CO₂/yr (Climate TRACE), equivalent to about 6.4k cars driven for a year. In context, gas supplies about 2.3% of India's electricity; the national grid averages 670 gCO₂/kWh (26.7% low-carbon) (2025).
Plant data: WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0), id IND0000180.
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 32.5 MW, KARAIKAL is below the median gas plant in India (234.3 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.
~27,665 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
- 75%, from 214 GWh of reported generation; the median for 41 gas plants in India that report generation is 29%
- Generation trend
- 95 GWh in 2014 and 214 GWh in 2018 (+125%)
- Highest and lowest year
- 2016: 231 GWh; 2014: 95 GWh
- Share of India gas capacity
- less than 0.1% of 43,650 MW across 117 plants in this dataset
- Age among peers
- 27 of 94 dated gas plants in India 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).
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 tropical savanna climate (Köppen Aw) — Northern Hemisphere, latitude 10.9°N — which shapes how much energy it can produce and how its output varies through the year.
Monthly mean temperature
This site has effectively no heating season (tropical/equatorial climate), so winter heat loss is not the driver here. The thermal concern shifts to year-round process heat and humidity/heat-driven corrosion of hot equipment.
A gas turbine here also runs ~10% 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 an aggressive, high-corrosion environment (estimated ISO 9223 class C5 — Very high), with marine salt corrosion 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 #112 largest gas power plant of 117 in India by capacity.
India has 117 gas power plants in this dataset, together about 43,650 MW of capacity.
Nearby power plants
- Karaikal Port power station · Coal · 1,980 MW ·
- Talanchankadu power station · Coal · 1,320 MW · Tamil Nadu
- Tharangambadi power station (Patel Power) · Coal · 1,050 MW · Tamil Nadu
- Tharangambadi power station (PPN Power) · Coal · 320 MW · Tamil Nadu
- Muttam · Solar · 4 MW · Tamil Nadu
- Nagai Nagapattinam Power Project · Coal · 150 MW · Tamil Nadu
Location
Coordinates 10.9325, 79.8216 from WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0). View on OpenStreetMap.
Frequently asked questions
What type of power plant is KARAIKAL?
KARAIKAL is a 32.5 MW gas power plant in Pondicherry, India, commissioned in 2000.
How much electricity does KARAIKAL generate?
KARAIKAL generates about 214 GWh of electricity per year.
How much CO₂ does KARAIKAL emit?
KARAIKAL has modelled emissions of about 27,665 tonnes of CO₂ per year (Climate TRACE).