Regional Waste Systems — United States of America
Waste power plant in Maine, United States of America. Approximate location 43.6556, -70.3347.
WasteMaineUnited States of AmericaCO₂ modelled
Regional Waste Systems is a 13.3 MW waste power plant in Maine, United States of America. It is operated by Ecomaine. Based on reported annual generation of 79 GWh, it can supply roughly 23k homes. It ranks #5272 of 10,884 United States of America power plants by installed capacity. Commissioned in 1988, it is around 38 years old — long-established. Its modelled annual emissions are 111,546 t CO₂/yr (Climate TRACE), equivalent to about 26k cars driven for a year. In context, the national grid averages 384 gCO₂/kWh (43.0% low-carbon) (2025).
Plant data: WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0), id USA0050225.
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.
Data provenance
Source of the capacity and fuel values:
capacity: Wikidata P2109; fuel: WRI GPPD
In context: how this plant compares
At 13.3 MW, Regional Waste Systems is well above the median waste plant in United States of America (6.6 MW). Waste-to-energy plants burn municipal solid waste to generate electricity and heat, cutting landfill volume while recovering energy from residual waste.
Capacity comparison computed from the WRI Global Power Plant Database; fuel-type context is general engineering background.
~111,546 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
- 68%, from 79 GWh of reported generation; the median for 506 waste plants in United States of America that report generation is 62%
- Generation trend
- 89 GWh in 2013 and 79 GWh in 2019 (−10%)
- Highest and lowest year
- 2016: 92 GWh; 2015: 78 GWh
- Share of United States of America waste capacity
- 0.1% of 10,154 MW across 551 plants in this dataset
- Age among peers
- 73 of 541 dated waste plants in United States of America 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 Ecomaine.
Local climate & thermal context
This waste plant recovers energy by combusting municipal or industrial waste. It sits in a warm-summer humid continental climate (Köppen Dfb) — Northern Hemisphere, latitude 43.7°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 54% 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: 81/100 — 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 corrosive environment (estimated ISO 9223 class C4 — High), with thermal cycling 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 #189 largest waste power plant of 551 in United States of America by capacity.
United States of America has 551 waste power plants in this dataset, together about 10,154 MW of capacity.
Nearby power plants
- Westbrook Energy Center Power Plant · Gas · 563.9 MW · Maine
- S D Warren Westbrook · Waste · 69.7 MW · Maine
- Cape Gas Turbine · Oil · 35 MW · Maine
- William F Wyman Hybrid · Oil · 846 MW · Maine
- Bar Mills · Hydro · 4 MW · Maine
- North Gorham · Hydro · 2.2 MW · Maine
Location
Coordinates 43.6556, -70.3347 from WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0). View on OpenStreetMap.
Frequently asked questions
What type of power plant is Regional Waste Systems?
Regional Waste Systems is a 13.3 MW waste power plant in Maine, United States of America, commissioned in 1988.
How much electricity does Regional Waste Systems generate?
Regional Waste Systems generates about 79 GWh of electricity per year.
Who operates Regional Waste Systems?
Regional Waste Systems is operated by Ecomaine.
How much CO₂ does Regional Waste Systems emit?
Regional Waste Systems has modelled emissions of about 111,546 tonnes of CO₂ per year (Climate TRACE).