Poplar River — Canada
Coal power plant in Montana, Canada. Approximate location 49.0579, -105.4851.
CoalMontanaCanadasubcritical
Poplar River is a 630 MW coal power station in Montana, Canada. It is operated by Saskatchewan Power Corp. Based on its capacity (estimated), it can supply roughly 788k homes (estimated). It ranks #67 of 1,210 Canada power plants by installed capacity. Commissioned in 1980, it is around 46 years old — long-established. In context, coal supplies about 4.1% of Canada's electricity; the national grid averages 191 gCO₂/kWh (77.0% low-carbon) (2025).
Plant data: WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0), id CAN0002079.
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 · L100000100177; fuel: WRI GPPD
In context: how this plant compares
At 630 MW, Poplar River is well above the median coal plant in Canada (540 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.
Key facts
- Share of Canada coal capacity
- 4.4% of 14,386 MW across 20 plants in this dataset
- Age among peers
- 7 of 17 dated coal plants in Canada are older
Calculated from the capacity and generation records in this dataset (WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0)).
Capacity vs largest coal plants in Canada
Installed capacity (MW), WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0).
Owner
Operated by Saskatchewan Power Corp. 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 cold semi-arid steppe climate (Köppen BSk) — Northern Hemisphere, latitude 49.1°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 57% 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: 82/100 — 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 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 #9 largest coal power plant of 20 in Canada by capacity.
Canada has 20 coal power plants in this dataset, together about 14,386 MW of capacity.
Nearby power plants
- OREG 2 Inc · Cogeneration · 30 MW · Montana
- OREG 1 Inc · Cogeneration · 30 MW · Montana
- Culbertson Generation Station · Gas · 91 MW · Montana
- Fort Peck · Hydro · 179.7 MW · Montana
- Pioneer Generating Station · Gas · 293.1 MW · North Dakota
- Great Plains power station · Gas · 370 MW · Saskatchewan
Location
Coordinates 49.0579, -105.4851 from WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0). View on OpenStreetMap.
Frequently asked questions
What type of power plant is Poplar River?
Poplar River is a 630 MW coal power plant in Montana, Canada, commissioned in 1980.
Who operates Poplar River?
Poplar River is operated by Saskatchewan Power Corp.