Ricardo Zuloaga (Tacoa) Thermal Power Plant Venezuela

Ricardo Zuloaga (Tacoa) Thermal Power Plant Venezuela is a 1,720 MW gas power station in Vargas, Venezuela. It is operated by Government Operating: La Electricidad de Caracas (EDC). Based on its capacity (estimated), it can supply roughly 1.9 million homes (estimated). It ranks #6 of 59 Venezuela power plants by installed capacity. Commissioned in 1956, it is around 70 years old — an older, legacy facility. In context, gas supplies about 4.5% of Venezuela's electricity; the national grid averages 86 gCO₂/kWh (91.1% low-carbon) (2024).

Plant data: WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0), id WRI1061135.

Data provenance

Capacity and fuel are the upstream open-dataset record, not yet matched to a 2026 registry or GEM entry.

capacity: WRI GPPD; fuel: WRI GPPD

In context: how this plant compares

At 1,720 MW, Ricardo Zuloaga (Tacoa) Thermal Power Plant Venezuela is well above the median gas plant in Venezuela (300 MW). 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.

Key facts

Share of Venezuela gas capacity

10.2% of 16,840 MW across 44 plants in this dataset

Age among peers

0 of 30 dated gas plants in Venezuela are older

Calculated from the capacity and generation records in this dataset (WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0)).

Capacity vs largest gas plants in Venezuela

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

Owner

Operated by Government Operating: La Electricidad de Caracas (EDC).

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 tropical savanna climate (Köppen Aw) — Northern Hemisphere, latitude 10.6°N — 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.

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

This site sits in an aggressive, high-corrosion environment (estimated ISO 9223 class C5 — Very high), with marine salt corrosion 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 #2 largest gas power plant of 44 in Venezuela by capacity.

Venezuela has 44 gas power plants in this dataset, together about 16,840 MW of capacity.

Nearby power plants

• Barcazas Josefa Rufina y Margarita · Gas · 340 MW · Vargas
• José María España power station · Gas · 500 MW · Miranda
• La raisa · Gas · 310 MW · Miranda
• El Sitio · Gas · 360 MW · Miranda
• Guarenas · Gas · 156 MW · Miranda
• Turboven · Gas · 40 MW · Aragua

Location

Coordinates 10.5877, -67.0806 from WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0). View on OpenStreetMap.

Frequently asked questions