Kilroot — United Kingdom

Kilroot is a 824 MW coal power station in Northern Ireland, United Kingdom. It is operated by AES. Based on reported annual generation of 1,001 GWh, it can supply roughly 286k homes. It ranks #63 of 2,860 United Kingdom power plants by installed capacity. Commissioned in 2009, it is around 17 years old — relatively modern. In context, coal supplies about 0.1% of United Kingdom's electricity; the national grid averages 217 gCO₂/kWh (64.4% low-carbon) (2025).

Plant data: WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0), id GBR1000002.

Data provenance

Source of the capacity and fuel values:

capacity: GEM · 2026 · L100000103768; fuel: WRI GPPD

In context: how this plant compares

At 824 MW, Kilroot is below the median coal plant in United Kingdom (1,140 MW). Technically it is described as subcritical. Coal plants burn pulverised coal to raise high-pressure steam for a turbine; they run as baseload but are the most carbon-intensive mainstream source and the first targeted for retirement or efficiency retrofits.

Capacity comparison computed from the WRI Global Power Plant Database; fuel-type context is general engineering background.

Key facts

Load factor

14%, from 1,001 GWh of reported generation

Share of United Kingdom coal capacity

2.3% of 35,428 MW across 23 plants in this dataset

Age among peers

17 of 22 dated coal plants in United Kingdom are older

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

Capacity vs largest coal plants in United Kingdom

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

Owner

Operated by AES. All plants by this company →

Local climate & thermal context

This coal plant burns coal to raise high-pressure steam that spins a turbine-generator. It sits in a temperate oceanic climate (Köppen Cfb) — Northern Hemisphere, latitude 54.7°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 35% 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: 71/100 — this site sits in the top third of the power plants we cover by heating degree-days.

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 corrosive environment (estimated ISO 9223 class C4 — High), 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 #18 largest coal power plant of 23 in United Kingdom by capacity.

United Kingdom has 23 coal power plants in this dataset, together about 35,428 MW of capacity.

Nearby power plants

• Kilroot OCGT · Gas · 142 MW · Northern Ireland
• Carn Hill · Wind · 13.8 MW · Northern Ireland
• BH Energy - Biogas (AD) · Biomass · 2.1 MW · Northern Ireland
• Bombardier Factory · Solar · 3.8 MW · Northern Ireland
• Airport Road West · Biomass · 1.2 MW · Northern Ireland
• Ballylumford C · Gas · 616 MW · Northern Ireland

Location

Coordinates 54.7255, -5.7653 from WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0). View on OpenStreetMap.

Frequently asked questions