Medupi West power station — South Africa
Coal power plant in Limpopo, South Africa. Approximate location -24.0, 29.0.
CoalLimpopoSouth Africasupercritical
Medupi West power station is a 4,800 MW coal power station in Limpopo, South Africa. It is operated by Eskom Holdings SOC Ltd [100%]. Based on its capacity (estimated), it can supply roughly 6.0 million homes (estimated). It ranks #2 of 152 South Africa power plants by installed capacity. 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 GEM_coa_medupiwest_south.
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 4,800 MW, Medupi West 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.
Key facts
- Share of South Africa coal capacity
- 7.1% of 67,847 MW across 37 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 South Africa
Installed capacity (MW), WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0).
Owner
Operated by Eskom Holdings SOC Ltd [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 hot semi-arid steppe climate (Köppen BSh) — Southern Hemisphere, latitude 24.0°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).
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 #2 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
- Witkop Solar Power Plant · Solar · 30 MW · Limpopo
- Coal-3 power station · Coal · 1,500 MW · Limpopo
- Musina-Makhado power station · Coal · 3,300 MW · Limpopo
- Soutpan Solar Power Plant · Solar · 31 MW · Limpopo
- Lephalale Coal and Power Project · Coal · 600 MW · Limpopo
- Tom Burke Solar Park · Solar · 66 MW · Central
Location
Coordinates -24.0, 29.0 from WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0). View on OpenStreetMap.
Frequently asked questions
What type of power plant is Medupi West power station?
Medupi West power station is a 4,800 MW coal power plant in Limpopo, South Africa.
Who operates Medupi West power station?
Medupi West power station is operated by Eskom Holdings SOC Ltd [100%].