Ord River is a 30 MW hydro power plant in Western Australia, Australia. It is operated by Pacific Hydro Pty Ltd. Based on reported annual generation of 221 GWh, it can supply roughly 63k homes. It ranks #310 of 536 Australia power plants by installed capacity. Commissioned in 1997, it is around 29 years old — long-established. As a non-combustion source, it has no direct CO₂ emissions from generation. In context, hydro supplies about 4.3% 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 AUS0000224.
Data status
Known data
Calculated from dataset
Not available
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 · L100001054539; fuel: WRI GPPD
In context: how this plant compares
At 30 MW, Ord River is below the median hydro plant in Australia (45 MW). Technically it is described as conventional storage. Hydropower converts the energy of falling or flowing water into electricity; output depends on rainfall and reservoir level, and large dams also provide grid balancing and storage.
Capacity comparison computed from the WRI Global Power Plant Database; fuel-type context is general engineering background.
Key facts
- Load factor
- 84%, from 221 GWh of reported generation; the median for 50 hydro plants in Australia that report generation is 35%
- Generation trend
- 221 GWh in 2013 and 221 GWh in 2018 (−0%)
- Highest and lowest year
- 2013: 221 GWh; 2014: 205 GWh
- Share of Australia hydro capacity
- 0.3% of 8,878 MW across 73 plants in this dataset
- Age among peers
- 39 of 41 dated hydro 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 Pacific Hydro Pty Ltd. All plants by this company →
Local climate & thermal context
This hydro plant converts the energy of falling or flowing water through hydro turbines. It sits in a hot semi-arid steppe climate (Köppen BSh) — Southern Hemisphere, latitude 16.1°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 benign, low-corrosion environment (estimated ISO 9223 class C1 — Very low), with dust abrasion 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 #43 largest hydro power plant of 73 in Australia by capacity.
Australia has 73 hydro power plants in this dataset, together about 8,878 MW of capacity.
Nearby power plants
- Kununurra · Oil · 12.4 MW · Western Australia
- Argyle Diamond Mine · Oil · 32 MW · Western Australia
- Warmun · Oil · 1.3 MW · Western Australia
- Savannah Nickel Mine · Oil · 10.8 MW · Western Australia
- Timber Creek · Oil · 1 MW · Western Australia
Location
Coordinates -16.1201, 128.7383 from WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0). View on OpenStreetMap.
Frequently asked questions
What type of power plant is Ord River?
Ord River is a 30 MW hydro power plant in Western Australia, Australia, commissioned in 1997.
How much electricity does Ord River generate?
Ord River generates about 221 GWh of electricity per year.
Who operates Ord River?
Ord River is operated by Pacific Hydro Pty Ltd.