Maalaea — United States of America
Oil power plant in Hawaii, United States of America. Approximate location 20.8012, -156.493.
OilHawaiiUnited States of AmericaCCGT · HRSGCO₂ modelled
Maalaea is a 229.8 MW oil power station in Hawaii, United States of America. It is operated by Maui Electric Co Ltd. Based on reported annual generation of 701 GWh, it can supply roughly 200k homes. It ranks #1823 of 10,884 United States of America power plants by installed capacity. Commissioned in 1989, it is around 37 years old — long-established. Its modelled annual emissions are 136,360 t CO₂/yr (Climate TRACE), equivalent to about 32k cars driven for a year. In context, oil supplies about 0.7% of United States of America's electricity; the national grid averages 384 gCO₂/kWh (43.0% low-carbon) (2025).
Plant data: WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0), id USA0006504.
Data status
Known data
Modelled source data
Calculated from dataset
Known, modelled and calculated values are kept separate. Missing fields are shown as unavailable.
Data provenance
Source of the capacity and fuel values:
capacity: GEM · 2026 · L100000409206; fuel: WRI GPPD
In context: how this plant compares
At 229.8 MW, Maalaea is well above the median oil plant in United States of America (7.2 MW). Technically it is described as CCGT; combined-cycle with a heat-recovery steam generator (HRSG). Oil-fired plants burn heavy fuel oil or diesel, usually as peaking or backup capacity on islands and grids without gas pipelines; high fuel cost keeps their utilisation low.
Capacity comparison computed from the WRI Global Power Plant Database; fuel-type context is general engineering background.
~136,360 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
- 35%, from 701 GWh of reported generation; the median for 469 oil plants in United States of America that report generation is 0%
- Generation trend
- 727 GWh in 2013 and 701 GWh in 2019 (−4%)
- Highest and lowest year
- 2013: 727 GWh; 2018: 676 GWh
- Share of United States of America oil capacity
- 0.6% of 40,022 MW across 902 plants in this dataset
- Age among peers
- 350 of 877 dated oil plants in United States of America 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).
Owner
Operated by Maui Electric Co Ltd.
Local climate & thermal context
This oil plant burns oil or diesel to drive turbines or reciprocating engines. It sits in a tropical rainforest climate (Köppen Af) — Northern Hemisphere, latitude 20.8°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.
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 #35 largest oil power plant of 902 in United States of America by capacity.
United States of America has 902 oil power plants in this dataset, together about 40,022 MW of capacity.
Nearby power plants
- Kaheawa Wind Power II LLC · Wind · 31 MW · Hawaii
- Kaheawa Pastures Wind Farm Hybrid · Wind · 30 MW · Hawaii
- Kihei Solar Farm · Solar · 2.9 MW · Hawaii
- Hawaiian Comm & Sugar Puunene Mill · Waste · 62.1 MW · Hawaii
- Kahului · Oil · 34 MW · Hawaii
- Kaheka Hydro · Hydro · 4.5 MW · Hawaii
Location
Coordinates 20.8012, -156.493 from WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0). View on OpenStreetMap.
Frequently asked questions
What type of power plant is Maalaea?
Maalaea is a 229.8 MW oil power plant in Hawaii, United States of America, commissioned in 1989.
How much electricity does Maalaea generate?
Maalaea generates about 701 GWh of electricity per year.
Who operates Maalaea?
Maalaea is operated by Maui Electric Co Ltd.
How much CO₂ does Maalaea emit?
Maalaea has modelled emissions of about 136,360 tonnes of CO₂ per year (Climate TRACE).