PCS Phosphate

Cogeneration power plant in North Carolina, United States of America. Approximate location 35.3763, -76.7799.

CogenerationNorth CarolinaUnited States of AmericaCO₂ modelled

PCS Phosphate is a 54 MW cogeneration power plant in North Carolina, United States of America. It is operated by PCS Phosphate. Based on reported annual generation of 213 GWh, it can supply roughly 61k homes. It ranks #3605 of 10,938 United States of America power plants by installed capacity. Commissioned in 1985, it is around 41 years old — long-established. Its modelled annual emissions are 51,716 t CO₂/yr (Climate TRACE), equivalent to about 12k cars driven for a year. In context, the national grid averages 384 gCO₂/kWh (43.0% low-carbon) (2025).

54Source-backed capacity
213GWh reported / yr
60,828homes powered
51,716t CO₂ / yr (Climate TRACE)
1985commissioned (~41 yrs)

Plant data: WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0), id USA0050509.

Data status

Known data

FacilityPCS Phosphate WRI
CountryUnited States of America · North Carolina WRI
Coordinates35.3763, -76.7799 WRI
FuelCogeneration WRI
MW installed capacity54 MW WRI source record; scope not independently normalised
OwnerPCS Phosphate WRI
Commissioned1985 WRI
GWh reported / yr213 GWh/yr WRI

Modelled source data

CO₂ emissions51,716 t CO₂/yr modelled · Climate TRACE

Calculated from dataset

Capacity rank in country#3605 of 10938 calculated
Fuel-specific rank in country#6 of 34 calculated
Capacity vs country/fuel peers2.08× · 26 MW median · 34 peers calculated
Homes-powered equivalent60,828 calculated from reported generation
Climate16.5°C · HDD 1,408 derived from coordinates
Environmental severityC4 · 40/100 derived from coordinates

Not available

TechnologyNot 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/or fuel fields on this page include a source-backed provenance label from GEM, an official registry, Wikidata, OSM, or a cross-source match.

capacity: Wikidata P2109 nameplate capacity; fuel: WRI source-record fuel

In context: how this plant compares

At 54 MW, PCS Phosphate is well above the median cogeneration plant in United States of America (26 MW). This facility converts its energy source into electricity for the grid; its capacity, fuel type and location determine its role in the national power mix.

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

~51,716 t CO₂/yr (modelled) — in everyday terms

This facility's annual emissions are roughly equivalent to:

12kpassenger cars driven for a year
6.7khomes' yearly energy use
862ktree seedlings grown 10 years to absorb it

Equivalencies via US EPA Greenhouse Gas Equivalencies; modelled emissions from Climate TRACE.

Reported generation trend

2013: 338 GWh20132014: 318 GWh20142015: 299 GWh20152016: 292 GWh20162017: 294 GWh20172018: 233 GWh20182019: 213 GWh2019338 GWh

Annual generation (GWh), WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0).

Owner

Operated by PCS Phosphate.

Local climate & thermal context

This cogeneration plant produces electricity and useful heat together for higher fuel efficiency. It sits in a humid subtropical climate (Köppen Cfa) — Northern Hemisphere, latitude 35.4°N — which shapes how much energy it can produce and how its output varies through the year.

16.5°Cannual mean temp
1,408heating degree-days (base 18°C)
883cooling degree-days (base 18°C)
6 melevation

Monthly mean temperature

J: 6 °CJF: 8 °CFM: 12 °CMA: 16 °CAM: 20 °CMJ: 24 °CJJ: 26 °CJA: 26 °CAS: 23 °CSO: 17 °CON: 13 °CND: 8 °CD26 °C

Heating degree-days here run 43% 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: 32/100 — this site sits in the bottom 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

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 a corrosive environment (estimated ISO 9223 class C4 — High), with humidity / wetness the leading environmental stress.

C4ISO 9223 corrosivity (indicative)
40/100environmental-severity index
19.8°Cseasonal temperature swing
87 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 #6 largest cogeneration power plant of 34 in United States of America by capacity.

United States of America has 34 cogeneration power plants in this dataset, together about 1,037 MW of capacity.

Nearby power plants

Location

Coordinates 35.3763, -76.7799 from WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0). View on OpenStreetMap.

Frequently asked questions

What type of power plant is PCS Phosphate?

PCS Phosphate is a 54 MW source-record cogeneration power plant in North Carolina, United States of America, commissioned in 1985.

How much electricity does PCS Phosphate generate?

PCS Phosphate generates about 213 GWh of electricity per year.

How many homes can PCS Phosphate power?

Its output is enough to supply roughly 60,828 homes.

Who operates PCS Phosphate?

PCS Phosphate is operated by PCS Phosphate.

How much CO₂ does PCS Phosphate emit?

PCS Phosphate has modelled emissions of about 51,716 tonnes of CO₂ per year (Climate TRACE).

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