Karpowership Richards Bay power station — South Africa

Karpowership Richards Bay power station is a 450 MW gas power station in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. It is operated by Karpowership South Africa [100%]. Based on its capacity (estimated), it can supply roughly 507k homes (estimated). It ranks #45 of 152 South Africa power plants by installed capacity. In context, gas supplies about 0.0% of South Africa's electricity; the national grid averages 699 gCO₂/kWh (17.8% low-carbon) (2025).

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

Data provenance

Capacity and fuel are the upstream open-dataset record, not yet matched to a 2026 registry or GEM entry.

capacity: GEM GOGPT; fuel: GEM GOGPT

In context: how this plant compares

At 450 MW, Karpowership Richards Bay power station is below the median gas plant in South Africa (670 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.

Key facts

Share of South Africa gas capacity

2.4% of 19,062 MW across 15 plants in this dataset

Calculated from the capacity and generation records in this dataset (WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0)).

Capacity vs largest gas plants in South Africa

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

Owner

Operated by Karpowership South Africa [100%].

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) — Southern Hemisphere, latitude 28.8°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 99% 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: 13/100 — this site sits in the bottom third of the power plants we cover by heating degree-days.

A gas turbine here also runs ~4% 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 #10 largest gas power plant of 15 in South Africa by capacity.

South Africa has 15 gas power plants in this dataset, together about 19,062 MW of capacity.

Nearby power plants

• Nseleni Independent Floating power station · Gas · 2,800 MW · KwaZulu-Natal
• Richards Bay Gas to Power Plant 2 · Gas · 400 MW · KwaZulu-Natal
• Richards Bay (Mhlathuze Energy) power station · Gas · 3,300 MW · KwaZulu-Natal
• Phinda power plant · Gas · 450 MW · KwaZulu-Natal
• Richards Bay Mill power station · Other · 149.7 MW · KwaZulu-Natal
• Phakwe Richards Bay Power Plant · Gas · 2,000 MW · KwaZulu-Natal

Location

Coordinates -28.79483, 32.031704 from WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0). View on OpenStreetMap.

Frequently asked questions