Masinloc power station — Philippines

Masinloc power station is a 1,025.8 MW coal power station in Central Luzon, Philippines. It is operated by SMC Global Power. Based on its capacity (estimated), it can supply roughly 1.3 million homes (estimated). It ranks #19 of 186 Philippines power plants by installed capacity. Commissioned in 1998, it is around 28 years old — long-established. In context, coal supplies about 58.7% of Philippines's electricity; the national grid averages 588 gCO₂/kWh (23.3% low-carbon) (2025).

Plant data: WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0), id WRI1001871.

Capacity provenance

The public capacity above is the current source-record value. A 2026 tracker candidate lists 1,026 MW for Masinloc power station, but it is not used as the public primary value until scope is verified (unit vs operating vs installed/project total).

Data provenance

Source of the capacity and fuel values:

capacity: GEM · 2026 · L100000103176; fuel: WRI GPPD

In context: how this plant compares

At 1,025.8 MW, Masinloc power station is well above the median coal plant in Philippines (300 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

Share of Philippines coal capacity

5.6% of 18,322 MW across 50 plants in this dataset

Age among peers

0 of 28 dated coal plants in Philippines 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 Philippines

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

Owner

Operated by SMC Global Power.

Local climate & thermal context

This coal plant burns coal to raise high-pressure steam that spins a turbine-generator. It sits in a tropical monsoon climate (Köppen Am) — Northern Hemisphere, latitude 15.6°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 #6 largest coal power plant of 50 in Philippines by capacity.

Philippines has 50 coal power plants in this dataset, together about 18,322 MW of capacity.

Nearby power plants

• Oyon Bay power station · Coal · 150 MW ·
• Palauig Solar · Solar · 5 MW · Central Luzon
• Sual power station · Coal · 1,294 MW · Ilocos
• Armenia Solar · Solar · 8.8 MW · Central Luzon
• Dalayap · Solar · 7.4 MW · Central Luzon
• Manaoag · Solar · 20 MW · Ilocos

Location

Coordinates 15.5645, 119.9233 from WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0). View on OpenStreetMap.

Frequently asked questions