Kilwa power station is a 318 MW gas power station in Lindi, Tanzania. It is operated by Tanzania Electric Supply Company Ltd [100%]. Based on its capacity (estimated), it can supply roughly 358k homes (estimated). It ranks #7 of 29 Tanzania power plants by installed capacity. In context, gas supplies about 62.8% of Tanzania's electricity; the national grid averages 345 gCO₂/kWh (32.9% low-carbon) (2024).
Plant data: WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0), id GOGPT_kilwa_tanzan.
Data status
Known 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: GEM GOGPT; fuel: GEM GOGPT
In context: how this plant compares
At 318 MW, Kilwa power station is well above the median gas plant in Tanzania (240 MW). Technically it is described as CCGT; combined-cycle with a heat-recovery steam generator (HRSG). 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 Tanzania gas capacity
- 12.1% of 2,622 MW across 11 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 Tanzania
Installed capacity (MW), WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0).
Owner
Operated by Tanzania Electric Supply Company Ltd [100%].
Climate zone & how it works
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) — Southern Hemisphere, latitude 8.9°S — which shapes how much energy it can produce and how its output varies through the year.
Climate zone & typical temperatures: Köppen-Geiger world climate classification (Kottek et al. 2006, 0.5° grid).
How it compares & nearby plants
The #4 largest gas power plant of 11 in Tanzania by capacity.
Tanzania has 11 gas power plants in this dataset, together about 2,622 MW of capacity.
Nearby power plants
- Somanga power station · Gas · 250 MW · Lindi
- Mtwara · Gas · 18 MW · Mtwara
- Mtwara Cement power station · Coal · 75 MW · Tanzania
Location
Coordinates -8.908994, 39.512501 from WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0). View on OpenStreetMap.
Frequently asked questions
What type of power plant is Kilwa power station?
Kilwa power station is a 318 MW gas power plant in Lindi, Tanzania.
Who operates Kilwa power station?
Kilwa power station is operated by Tanzania Electric Supply Company Ltd [100%].