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Millmerran — Australia

Coal power plant in Queensland, Australia. Approximate location -27.9615, 151.2789.

CoalQueenslandAustraliasupercriticalCO₂ modelled

Millmerran is a 880 MW coal power station in Queensland, Australia. It is operated by Intergen. Based on reported annual generation of 7,061 GWh, it can supply roughly 2.0 million homes. It ranks #17 of 536 Australia power plants by installed capacity. Commissioned in 2002, it is around 24 years old — relatively modern. Its modelled annual emissions are 5,440,400 t CO₂/yr (Climate TRACE), equivalent to about 1.3 million cars driven for a year. In context, coal supplies about 42.7% of Australia's electricity; the national grid averages 525 gCO₂/kWh (38.6% low-carbon) (2025).

880MW installed capacity
7,061GWh reported / yr
2,017,542homes powered
5,440,400t CO₂ / yr (Climate TRACE)
2002commissioned (~24 yrs)

Plant data: WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0), id AUS0000163.

Data status

Known data

FacilityMillmerran WRI
CountryAustralia · Queensland WRI
Coordinates-27.9615, 151.2789 WRI
FuelCoal WRI
MW installed capacity880 MW GEM · 2026 · L100000100019; operating plant capacity
OwnerIntergen WRI
Commissioned2002 WRI
Technologysupercritical WRI
GWh reported / yr7,061 GWh·a⁻¹ WRI

Modelled source data

CO₂ emissions5,440,400 t CO₂·a⁻¹ modelled · Climate TRACE

Calculated from dataset

Capacity rank in country#17 / 536 calculated
Fuel-specific rank in country#15 / 38 calculated
Capacity vs country/fuel peers1.26× · 700 MW · n=38 calculated
Homes-powered equivalent2,017,542 calculated from reported generation
Climate17.8°C · HDD 806 derived from coordinates
Environmental severityC3 · 33/100 derived from coordinates

Known, modelled and calculated values are kept separate. Missing fields are shown as unavailable.

Data provenance

Source of the capacity and fuel values:

capacity: GEM · 2026 · L100000100019; fuel: WRI GPPD

In context: how this plant compares

At 880 MW, Millmerran is well above the median coal plant in Australia (700 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.

~5,440,400 t CO₂/yr (modelled) — in everyday terms

This facility's annual emissions are roughly equivalent to:

30krailcars of coal burned
1.3 milliongasoline cars driven for a year
1.6kwind turbines running for a year
4.9%of the CO₂ from all Australia power plants with an emissions figure in PowerAtlas

Equivalencies via US EPA Greenhouse Gas Equivalencies; modelled emissions from Climate TRACE.

Key facts

Load factor
92%, from 7,061 GWh of reported generation; the median for 19 coal plants in Australia that report generation is 67%
Generation trend
7,077 GWh in 2013 and 7,061 GWh in 2018 (−0%)
Highest and lowest year
2013: 7,077 GWh; 2017: 6,609 GWh
Share of Australia coal capacity
2.7% of 32,918 MW across 38 plants in this dataset
Age among peers
22 of 28 dated coal plants in Australia are older

Calculated from the capacity and generation records in this dataset (WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0)).

Reported generation trend

2013: 7,077 GWh20132014: 6,669 GWh20142015: 6,629 GWh20152016: 6,654 GWh20162017: 6,609 GWh20172018: 7,061 GWh20187k GWh

Annual generation (GWh), WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0).

Owner

Operated by Intergen.

Local climate & thermal context

This coal plant burns coal to raise high-pressure steam that spins a turbine-generator. It sits in a humid subtropical climate (Köppen Cfa) — Southern Hemisphere, latitude 28.0°S — which shapes how much energy it can produce and how its output varies through the year.

17.8°Cannual mean temp
806heating degree-days (base 18°C)
732cooling degree-days (base 18°C)
454 melevation

Monthly mean temperature

J: 24 °CJF: 24 °CFM: 22 °CMA: 19 °CAM: 15 °CMJ: 12 °CJJ: 10 °CJA: 12 °CAS: 15 °CSO: 18 °CON: 21 °CND: 23 °CD24 °C

Heating degree-days here run 67% 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: 24/100 — 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 moderately corrosive environment (estimated ISO 9223 class C3 — Medium), with humidity / wetness the leading environmental stress.

C3ISO 9223 corrosivity (indicative)
33/100environmental-severity index
13.5°Cseasonal temperature swing
195 kmdistance to coast

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 #15 largest coal power plant of 38 in Australia by capacity.

Australia has 38 coal power plants in this dataset, together about 32,918 MW of capacity.

Nearby power plants

Location

Coordinates -27.9615, 151.2789 from WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0). View on OpenStreetMap.

Frequently asked questions

What type of power plant is Millmerran?

Millmerran is a 880 MW coal power plant in Queensland, Australia, commissioned in 2002.

How much electricity does Millmerran generate?

Millmerran generates about 7,061 GWh of electricity per year.

Who operates Millmerran?

Millmerran is operated by Intergen.

How much CO₂ does Millmerran emit?

Millmerran has modelled emissions of about 5,440,400 tonnes of CO₂ per year (Climate TRACE).

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