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Nseleni Independent Floating power station

Gas power plant in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. Approximate location -28.801119, 32.039684.

GasKwaZulu-NatalSouth AfricaCCGT · HRSG

Nseleni Independent Floating power station is a 2,800 MW gas power station in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. It is operated by Nseleni Power Corp [100%]. Based on its capacity (estimated), it can supply roughly 3.2 million homes (estimated). It ranks #16 of 152 South Africa power plants by installed capacity. In context, gas supplies about 0.0% of South Africa's electricity; the national grid averages 699 gCO₂/kWh (17.8% low-carbon) (2025).

2,800MW installed capacity
4HRSG unit(s)
3,153,600homes powered (est.)

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

Data status

Known data

FacilityNseleni Independent Floating power station GEM-GOGPT
CountrySouth Africa · KwaZulu-Natal GEM-GOGPT
Coordinates-28.801119, 32.039684 GEM-GOGPT
FuelGas GEM-GOGPT
MW installed capacity2,800 MW GEM GOGPT; source record
OwnerNseleni Power Corp [100%] GEM-GOGPT
TechnologyCCGT · HRSG GEM-GOGPT

Calculated from dataset

CO₂ emissions4,415,040 t CO₂·a⁻¹ calculated
Capacity rank in country#16 / 152 calculated
Fuel-specific rank in country#4 / 15 calculated
Capacity vs country/fuel peers4.18× · 670 MW · n=15 calculated
Homes-powered equivalent3,153,600 calculated
Climate21.4°C · HDD 29 derived from coordinates
Environmental severityC5 · 44/100 derived from coordinates

Not available

CommissionedNot available not in dataset
GWh reported / yrNot available not in dataset

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

Data provenance

The capacity and fuel fields on this page are source-record values from the upstream open dataset. They are useful for identification and ranking, but they have not been upgraded to a 2026 registry/GEM-location verified value.

capacity: GEM GOGPT; fuel: GEM GOGPT

In context: how this plant compares

At 2,800 MW, Nseleni Independent Floating power station is well above the median gas plant in South Africa (670 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.

Capacity vs largest gas plants in South Africa

Richards Bay (Mhlathuze Energy) power station: 3,300 MW3kRichards B…Coega power station: 3,000 MW3kCoega powe…Richards Bay (Eskom) power station: 3,000 MW3kRichards B…Nseleni Independent Floating power station: 2,800 MW3kNseleni In…Phakwe Richards Bay Power Plant: 2,000 MW2kPhakwe Ric…Khanyazwe Flexpower power station: 1,000 MW1kKhanyazwe …Secunda power station: 880 MW880Secunda po…Avon power station: 670 MW670Avon power…

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

Owner

Operated by Nseleni Power Corp [100%].

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 humid subtropical climate (Köppen Cfa) — Southern Hemisphere, latitude 28.8°S — which shapes how much energy it can produce and how its output varies through the year.

21.4°Cannual mean temp
29heating degree-days (base 18°C)
1,267cooling degree-days (base 18°C)
20 melevation

Monthly mean temperature

J: 25 °CJF: 25 °CFM: 24 °CMA: 22 °CAM: 20 °CMJ: 18 °CJJ: 17 °CJA: 19 °CAS: 20 °CSO: 21 °CON: 22 °CND: 24 °CD25 °C

Heating degree-days here run 99% 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: 13/100 — this site sits in the bottom third of the power plants we cover by heating degree-days.

A gas turbine here also runs ~4% 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

For a plant’s outdoor hardware — heat-recovery steam generators (HRSG), expansion joints, valves, flanges and their insulation — the local climate sets how fast unprotected steel and coatings degrade. This site sits in an aggressive, high-corrosion environment (estimated ISO 9223 class C5 — Very high), with marine salt corrosion the leading environmental stress.

C5ISO 9223 corrosivity (indicative)
44/100environmental-severity index
7.4°Cseasonal temperature swing
25 kmdistance to coast

Higher environmental severity is exactly where protective removable insulation pays back most: a sheltered micro-climate slows corrosion, UV and thermal-cycling damage and extends outdoor hardware service life. This is an indicative site-climate context — not a condition assessment of any specific plant or operator.

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 gas power plant of 15 in South Africa by capacity.

South Africa has 15 gas power plants in this dataset, together about 19,062 MW of capacity.

Nearby power plants

Location

Coordinates -28.801119, 32.039684 from WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0). View on OpenStreetMap.

Frequently asked questions

What type of power plant is Nseleni Independent Floating power station?

Nseleni Independent Floating power station is a 2,800 MW gas power plant in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.

How many homes can Nseleni Independent Floating power station power?

Its output is enough to supply roughly 3,153,600 homes (estimated).

Who operates Nseleni Independent Floating power station?

Nseleni Independent Floating power station is operated by Nseleni Power Corp [100%].

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