Nordjylland power station is a 716 MW coal power station in North Denmark, Denmark. It is operated by Aalborg Forsyning. Based on reported annual generation of 1,239 GWh, it can supply roughly 354k homes. It ranks #4 of 57 Denmark power plants by installed capacity. Commissioned in 1989, it is around 37 years old — long-established. Its annual emissions of 740,510 t CO₂/yr (EU ETS verified (EUTL 2023)) are equivalent to about 173k cars driven for a year. In context, coal supplies about 2.7% of Denmark's electricity; the national grid averages 114 gCO₂/kWh (91.2% low-carbon) (2025).
Plant data: WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0), id WRI1022029.
Data status
Known data
Calculated from dataset
Known, modelled and calculated values are kept separate. Missing fields are shown as unavailable.
Capacity provenance
The public capacity above is the current source-record value. A 2026 tracker candidate lists 411 MW for Nordjylland power station, but it is not used as the public primary value until scope is verified (unit vs operating vs installed/project total).
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 716 MW, Nordjylland power station is well above the median coal plant in Denmark (373 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.
740,510 t CO₂/yr — in everyday terms
This facility's annual emissions are roughly equivalent to:
Equivalencies via US EPA Greenhouse Gas Equivalencies; emissions per EU ETS verified (EUTL 2023) (measured for US EPA/EU ETS, modelled for Climate TRACE).
Key facts
- Load factor
- 20%, from 1,239 GWh of reported generation; the median for 7 coal plants in Denmark that report generation is 25%
- Generation trend
- 1,362 GWh in 2015 and 1,239 GWh in 2017 (−9%)
- Highest and lowest year
- 2016: 1,832 GWh; 2017: 1,239 GWh
- Share of Denmark coal capacity
- 13.9% of 5,163 MW across 11 plants in this dataset
- Age among peers
- 7 of 11 dated coal plants in Denmark 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 Aalborg Forsyning.
Local climate & thermal context
This coal plant burns coal to raise high-pressure steam that spins a turbine-generator. It sits in a temperate oceanic climate (Köppen Cfb) — Northern Hemisphere, latitude 57.1°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 54% above 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: 81/100 — this site sits in the top 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.
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 #4 largest coal power plant of 11 in Denmark by capacity.
Denmark has 11 coal power plants in this dataset, together about 5,163 MW of capacity.
Nearby power plants
- Aalborg · Solar · 16.6 MW · North Denmark
- Nørre Økse Sø · Wind · 17.3 MW · North Denmark
- Akzo Mariager power station · Gas · 25 MW · Nordjylland
- Frederikshavn · Wind · 8 MW · North Denmark
- Hjørring · Solar · 10 MW · North Denmark
- Klim Fjordholme · Wind · 70 MW · North Denmark
Location
Coordinates 57.0736, 10.0416 from WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0). View on OpenStreetMap.
Frequently asked questions
What type of power plant is Nordjylland power station?
Nordjylland power station is a 716 MW coal power plant in North Denmark, Denmark, commissioned in 1989.
How much electricity does Nordjylland power station generate?
Nordjylland power station generates about 1,239 GWh of electricity per year.
Who operates Nordjylland power station?
Nordjylland power station is operated by Aalborg Forsyning.
How much CO₂ does Nordjylland power station emit?
Nordjylland power station has measured emissions of about 740,510 tonnes of CO₂ per year (EU ETS verified (EUTL 2023)).