Mbeya Power Project is a 300 MW coal power station in Tanzania, Tanzania. It is operated by Kibo Energy PLC [100%]. Based on its capacity (estimated), it can supply roughly 375k homes (estimated). It ranks #8 of 29 Tanzania power plants by installed capacity. In context, coal supplies about 0.0% 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 GEM_coa_mbeya_tanza.
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 300 MW, Mbeya Power Project is well above the median coal plant in Tanzania (270 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 Tanzania coal capacity
- 10.8% of 2,765 MW across 9 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 Tanzania
Installed capacity (MW), WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0).
Owner
Operated by Kibo Energy PLC [100%].
Climate zone & how it works
This coal plant burns coal to raise high-pressure steam that spins a turbine-generator. It sits in a humid subtropical (dry winter) climate (Köppen Cwa) — 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 coal power plant of 9 in Tanzania by capacity.
Tanzania has 9 coal power plants in this dataset, together about 2,765 MW of capacity.
Nearby power plants
- Kiwira Mine-2 power station · Coal · 600 MW · Tanzania
- Maturi power station · Coal · 200 MW · Tanzania
- Mchuchuma power station · Coal · 600 MW · Tanzania
Location
Coordinates -8.9147128, 33.4548536 from WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0). View on OpenStreetMap.
Frequently asked questions
What type of power plant is Mbeya Power Project?
Mbeya Power Project is a 300 MW coal power plant in Tanzania, Tanzania.
Who operates Mbeya Power Project?
Mbeya Power Project is operated by Kibo Energy PLC [100%].