NORTH CHENNAI is a 630 MW coal power station in Tamil Nadu, India. It is operated by Tamil Nadu Power Distribution Corp Ltd. Based on reported annual generation of 3,633 GWh, it can supply roughly 1.0 million homes. It ranks #470 of 2,225 India power plants by installed capacity. Commissioned in 1995, it is around 31 years old — long-established. Its modelled annual emissions are 10,392,600 t CO₂/yr (Climate TRACE), equivalent to about 2.4 million cars driven for a year. In context, coal supplies about 70.8% of India's electricity; the national grid averages 670 gCO₂/kWh (26.7% low-carbon) (2025).
Plant data: WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0), id IND0000307.
Data status
Known data
Modelled source data
Calculated from dataset
Not available
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 1,830 MW for North Chennai Thermal 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
Source of the capacity and fuel values:
capacity: GEM · 2026 · L100000102569; fuel: WRI GPPD
In context: how this plant compares
At 630 MW, NORTH CHENNAI is below the median coal plant in India (1,000 MW). 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.
~10,392,600 t CO₂/yr (modelled) — in everyday terms
This facility's annual emissions are roughly equivalent to:
Equivalencies via US EPA Greenhouse Gas Equivalencies; modelled emissions from Climate TRACE.
Key facts
- Load factor
- 66%, from 3,633 GWh of reported generation; the median for 167 coal plants in India that report generation is 54%
- Generation trend
- 3,864 GWh in 2014 and 3,633 GWh in 2018 (−6%)
- Highest and lowest year
- 2015: 4,046 GWh; 2016: 3,366 GWh
- Share of India coal capacity
- less than 0.1% of 805,419 MW across 713 plants in this dataset
- Age among peers
- 63 of 354 dated coal plants in India 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 Tamil Nadu Power Distribution Corp Ltd. 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 tropical savanna climate (Köppen Aw) — Northern Hemisphere, latitude 13.2°N — 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 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 #414 largest coal power plant of 713 in India by capacity.
India has 713 coal power plants in this dataset, together about 805,419 MW of capacity.
Nearby power plants
- NORTH CHENNAI EXTENSION · Coal · 1,200 MW · Tamil Nadu
- North Chennai Thermal Power Station · Coal · 2,630 MW · Tamil Nadu
- Kattupalli power station · Gas · 900 MW · Tamil Nadu
- VALLUR ntpc/ntecl · Coal · 1,500 MW · Tamil Nadu
- Vallur Thermal Power Plant · Coal · 1,500 MW · Tamil Nadu
- Ennore SEZ Super Critical Thermal Power Project (Vayalur) · Coal · 1,320 MW · Tamil Nadu
Location
Coordinates 13.245, 80.3257 from WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0). View on OpenStreetMap.
Frequently asked questions
What type of power plant is NORTH CHENNAI?
NORTH CHENNAI is a 630 MW coal power plant in Tamil Nadu, India, commissioned in 1995.
How much electricity does NORTH CHENNAI generate?
NORTH CHENNAI generates about 3,633 GWh of electricity per year.
Who operates NORTH CHENNAI?
NORTH CHENNAI is operated by Tamil Nadu Power Distribution Corp Ltd.
How much CO₂ does NORTH CHENNAI emit?
NORTH CHENNAI has modelled emissions of about 10,392,600 tonnes of CO₂ per year (Climate TRACE).