Medupi power station — South Africa

Medupi power station is a 4,768.8 MW coal power station in Limpopo, South Africa. It is operated by Eskom Holdings SOC Ltd. Based on its capacity (estimated), it can supply roughly 6.0 million homes (estimated). It ranks #3 of 152 South Africa power plants by installed capacity. Commissioned in 2015, it is around 11 years old — relatively modern. Its modelled annual emissions are 21,265,000 t CO₂/yr (Climate TRACE), equivalent to about 5.0 million cars driven for a year. In context, coal supplies about 81.4% of South Africa's electricity; the national grid averages 699 gCO₂/kWh (17.8% low-carbon) (2025).

Plant data: WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0), id CT-6220.

Data provenance

Source of the capacity and fuel values:

capacity: GEM · 2026 · L100000103432; fuel: Climate TRACE

In context: how this plant compares

At 4,768.8 MW, Medupi power station is well above the median coal plant in South Africa (1,180 MW). Technically it is described as 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.

~21,265,000 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

Share of South Africa coal capacity

7.0% of 67,847 MW across 37 plants in this dataset

Age among peers

16 of 18 dated coal plants in South Africa 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 South Africa

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

Owner

Operated by Eskom Holdings SOC Ltd.

Local climate & thermal context

This coal plant burns coal to raise high-pressure steam that spins a turbine-generator. It sits in a hot semi-arid steppe climate (Köppen BSh) — Southern Hemisphere, latitude 23.7°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 87% 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: 18/100 — 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 a benign, low-corrosion environment (estimated ISO 9223 class C1 — Very low), with dust abrasion 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 #3 largest coal power plant of 37 in South Africa by capacity.

South Africa has 37 coal power plants in this dataset, together about 67,847 MW of capacity.

Nearby power plants

• Thabametsi power station · Coal · 630 MW · Limpopo
• Namane power station · Coal · 660 MW · Limpopo
• Sibanye Gold power station · Coal · 200 MW · Limpopo
• Waterberg Coal power station · Coal · 600 MW · Limpopo
• Matimba power station · Coal · 3,990 MW · Limpopo
• Vedanta power station · Coal · 600 MW · Limpopo

Location

Coordinates -23.705, 27.5638 from WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0). View on OpenStreetMap.

Frequently asked questions