Kurri Kurri power station is a 2,000 MW coal power station in New South Wales, Australia. It is operated by Cavcorp Pty Ltd; China Energy Engineering Group Hunan Electric Power Design Inst. Based on its capacity (estimated), it can supply roughly 2.5 million homes (estimated). It ranks #4 of 536 Australia power plants by installed capacity. In context, coal supplies about 42.7% of Australia's electricity; the national grid averages 525 gCO₂/kWh (38.6% low-carbon) (2025).
Plant data: WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0), id GEM_coa_kurrikurri_austr.
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 GCPT; fuel: GEM GCPT
In context: how this plant compares
At 2,000 MW, Kurri Kurri power station is well above the median coal plant in Australia (700 MW). Technically it is described as ultra-supercritical. 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
- Share of Australia coal capacity
- 6.1% of 32,918 MW across 38 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 coal plants in Australia
Installed capacity (MW), WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0).
Owner
Operated by Cavcorp Pty Ltd; China Energy Engineering Group Hunan Electric Power Design Inst.
Local climate & thermal context
This coal plant burns coal to raise high-pressure steam that spins a turbine-generator. It sits in a humid subtropical climate (Köppen Cfa) — Southern Hemisphere, latitude 32.8°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 72% 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: 23/100 — this site sits in the bottom 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 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 #4 largest coal power plant of 38 in Australia by capacity.
Australia has 38 coal power plants in this dataset, together about 32,918 MW of capacity.
Nearby power plants
- Hunter · Oil · 29 MW · New South Wales
- Capral (Aluminium Smelter) · Gas · 300 MW · New South Wales
- Summerhill · Waste · 2.2 MW · New South Wales
- Summerhill · Solar · 5 MW · New South Wales
- Teralba · Gas · 3 MW · New South Wales
- Tomago Aluminium Smelter · Gas · 810 MW · New South Wales
Location
Coordinates -32.829077, 151.467635 from WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0). View on OpenStreetMap.
Frequently asked questions
What type of power plant is Kurri Kurri power station?
Kurri Kurri power station is a 2,000 MW coal power plant in New South Wales, Australia.
Who operates Kurri Kurri power station?
Kurri Kurri power station is operated by Cavcorp Pty Ltd; China Energy Engineering Group Hunan Electric Power Design Inst.