NEHUENCO — Chile

NEHUENCO is a 855 MW gas power station in Valparaiso, Chile. It is operated by COLBUN S.A.. Based on its capacity (estimated), it can supply roughly 963k homes (estimated). It ranks #5 of 336 Chile power plants by installed capacity. Commissioned in 1999, it is around 27 years old — long-established. In context, gas supplies about 15.3% of Chile's electricity; the national grid averages 289 gCO₂/kWh (66.4% low-carbon) (2025).

Plant data: WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0), id CHL0000117.

Data provenance

Source of the capacity and fuel values:

capacity: GEM · 2026 · L100000406557; fuel: WRI GPPD

In context: how this plant compares

At 855 MW, NEHUENCO is well above the median gas plant in Chile (379 MW). Technically it is described as CCGT; combined-cycle with a heat-recovery steam generator (HRSG). Gas plants burn natural gas either in open-cycle turbines for fast peaking, or in combined-cycle units that recover exhaust heat in an HRSG to reach roughly 55–62% efficiency — the cleanest-burning fossil option.

Capacity comparison computed from the WRI Global Power Plant Database; fuel-type context is general engineering background.

Key facts

Share of Chile gas capacity

13.1% of 6,512 MW across 19 plants in this dataset

Age among peers

0 of 5 dated gas plants in Chile are older

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

Capacity vs largest gas plants in Chile

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

Owner

Operated by COLBUN S.A.. All plants by this company →

Local climate & thermal context

This gas plant burns natural gas in a turbine — often in a combined-cycle setup — to generate electricity. It sits in a warm-summer Mediterranean climate (Köppen Csb) — Southern Hemisphere, latitude 32.9°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 46% 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: 31/100 — this site sits in the bottom third of the power plants we cover by heating degree-days.

A gas turbine here also runs ~0% below its ISO (15°C) rating at this annual mean (typical CCGT curve, estimate).

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 marine 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 #1 largest gas power plant of 19 in Chile by capacity.

Chile has 19 gas power plants in this dataset, together about 6,512 MW of capacity.

Nearby power plants

• SAN ISIDRO I · Gas · 379 MW · Valparaiso
• SAN ISIDRO II · Gas · 406.4 MW · Valparaiso
• Los Rulos power station · Gas · 540 MW · Valparaíso
• BIO CRUZ · Gas · 2.8 MW · Valparaiso
• TOMAVAL 1 · Oil · 1 MW · Valparaiso
• TOMAVAL 2 · Gas · 1.6 MW · Valparaiso

Location

Coordinates -32.9366, -71.3231 from WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0). View on OpenStreetMap.

Frequently asked questions