MEIRAMA GRUPO 1 — Spain

MEIRAMA GRUPO 1 is a 557.2 MW coal power station in Galicia, Spain. It is operated by GAS NATURAL FENOSA GENERACION S.L.U.. Based on reported annual generation of 2,477 GWh, it can supply roughly 708k homes. It ranks #54 of 899 Spain power plants by installed capacity. Commissioned in 1980, it is around 46 years old — long-established. In context, coal supplies about 0.3% of Spain's electricity; the national grid averages 154 gCO₂/kWh (74.6% low-carbon) (2025).

Plant data: WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0), id WRI1006671.

Data provenance

Capacity and fuel are the upstream open-dataset record, not yet matched to a 2026 registry or GEM entry.

capacity: WRI GPPD; fuel: WRI GPPD

In context: how this plant compares

At 557.2 MW, MEIRAMA GRUPO 1 is around the median coal plant in Spain (515.6 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

Load factor

51%, from 2,477 GWh of reported generation, in line with the 51% median for 12 coal plants in Spain

Generation trend

3,131 GWh in 2015 and 2,477 GWh in 2017 (−21%)

Highest and lowest year

2015: 3,131 GWh; 2016: 2,320 GWh

Share of Spain coal capacity

4.5% of 12,360 MW across 24 plants in this dataset

Age among peers

6 of 23 dated coal plants in Spain 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 GAS NATURAL FENOSA GENERACION S.L.U.. All plants by this company →

Local climate & thermal context

This coal plant burns coal to raise high-pressure steam that spins a turbine-generator. It sits in a warm-summer Mediterranean climate (Köppen Csb) — Northern Hemisphere, latitude 43.2°N — which shapes how much energy it can produce and how its output varies through the year.

Monthly mean temperature

Heating degree-days here run 18% 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: 43/100 — this site sits in the mid 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 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 #9 largest coal power plant of 24 in Spain by capacity.

Spain has 24 coal power plants in this dataset, together about 12,360 MW of capacity.

Nearby power plants

• Sogama power station · Waste · 71.7 MW · Galicia
• P.E. DE CASTELO · Wind · 16.5 MW · Galicia
• GENSABON · Gas · 12 MW · Galicia
• CTCC SABON GRUPO 3 · Gas · 391.3 MW · Galicia
• La Coruna Refinery power station · Oil · 80 MW · A Coruna
• ENERGYWORKS CARBALLO S.L. · Oil · 13.2 MW · Galicia

Location

Coordinates 43.1685, -8.4111 from WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0). View on OpenStreetMap.

Frequently asked questions