Mount Stuart is a 423 MW oil power station in Queensland, Australia. It is operated by Origin Energy. Based on reported annual generation of 10 GWh, it can supply roughly 2.8k homes. It ranks #57 of 536 Australia power plants by installed capacity. Commissioned in 1999, it is around 27 years old — long-established. In context, oil supplies about 2.2% of Australia's electricity; the national grid averages 525 gCO₂/kWh (38.6% low-carbon) (2025).
Plant data: WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0), id AUS0000165.
Data status
Known data
Calculated from dataset
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 · L100000408144; fuel: WRI GPPD
In context: how this plant compares
At 423 MW, Mount Stuart is well above the median oil plant in Australia (8.6 MW). Technically it is described as OCGT. Oil-fired plants burn heavy fuel oil or diesel, usually as peaking or backup capacity on islands and grids without gas pipelines; high fuel cost keeps their utilisation low.
Capacity comparison computed from the WRI Global Power Plant Database; fuel-type context is general engineering background.
Key facts
- Load factor
- 0%, from 10 GWh of reported generation; the median for 14 oil plants in Australia that report generation is 24%
- Generation trend
- 57 GWh in 2013 and 10 GWh in 2018 (−83%)
- Highest and lowest year
- 2017: 73 GWh; 2018: 10 GWh
- Share of Australia oil capacity
- 26.4% of 1,605 MW across 46 plants in this dataset
- Age among peers
- 0 of 3 dated oil 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
Annual generation (GWh), WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0).
Owner
Operated by Origin Energy. All plants by this company →
Local climate & thermal context
This oil plant burns oil or diesel to drive turbines or reciprocating engines. It sits in a tropical savanna climate (Köppen Aw) — Southern Hemisphere, latitude 19.3°S — which shapes how much energy it can produce and how its output varies through the year.
Monthly mean temperature
This site has effectively no heating season (tropical/equatorial climate), so winter heat loss is not the driver here. The thermal concern shifts to year-round process heat and humidity/heat-driven corrosion of hot equipment.
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 corrosive environment (estimated ISO 9223 class C4 — High), with humidity / wetness 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 #1 largest oil power plant of 46 in Australia by capacity.
Australia has 46 oil power plants in this dataset, together about 1,605 MW of capacity.
Nearby power plants
- Sun Metals Solar Farm · Solar · 117 MW · Queensland
- Ross River · Solar · 128 MW · Queensland
- Townsville · Gas · 242 MW · Queensland
- Invicta Sugar Mill · Biomass · 150 MW · Queensland
- Haughton River Solar Farm · Solar · 500 MW · Queensland
- Pioneer Sugar Mill · Biomass · 67.8 MW · Queensland
Location
Coordinates -19.338, 146.8512 from WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0). View on OpenStreetMap.
Frequently asked questions
What type of power plant is Mount Stuart?
Mount Stuart is a 423 MW oil power plant in Queensland, Australia, commissioned in 1999.
How much electricity does Mount Stuart generate?
Mount Stuart generates about 10 GWh of electricity per year.
Who operates Mount Stuart?
Mount Stuart is operated by Origin Energy.