Richards Bay Mill power station — South Africa

Richards Bay Mill power station is a 149.7 MW other power station in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. It is operated by Mondi South Africa Pty Ltd. Based on its capacity (estimated), it can supply roughly 112k homes (estimated). It ranks #61 of 152 South Africa power plants by installed capacity. Its modelled annual emissions are 322,380 t CO₂/yr (Climate TRACE), equivalent to about 75k cars driven for a year. In context, the national grid averages 699 gCO₂/kWh (17.8% low-carbon) (2025).

Plant data: WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0), id CT-6239.

Data provenance

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

capacity: Climate TRACE; fuel: Not available

In context: how this plant compares

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.

~322,380 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

Share of South Africa other capacity

32.2% of 464 MW across 2 plants in this dataset

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

Capacity vs largest other plants in South Africa

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

Owner

Operated by Mondi South Africa Pty Ltd.

Local climate & thermal context

This other plant generates electricity for the grid. It sits in a humid subtropical climate (Köppen Cfa) — Southern Hemisphere, latitude 28.8°S — which shapes how much energy it can produce and how its output varies through the year.

Monthly mean temperature

Heating degree-days here run 99% 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: 13/100 — 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

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 other power plant of 2 in South Africa by capacity.

South Africa has 2 other power plants in this dataset, together about 464 MW of capacity.

Nearby power plants

• Phinda power plant · Gas · 450 MW · KwaZulu-Natal
• Richards Bay (Eskom) power station · Gas · 3,000 MW · KwaZulu-Natal
• Richards Bay Gas to Power Plant 2 · Gas · 400 MW · KwaZulu-Natal
• Phakwe Richards Bay Power Plant · Gas · 2,000 MW · KwaZulu-Natal
• Karpowership Richards Bay power station · Gas · 450 MW · KwaZulu-Natal
• Nseleni Independent Floating power station · Gas · 2,800 MW · KwaZulu-Natal

Location

Coordinates -28.7617, 31.9934 from WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0). View on OpenStreetMap.

Frequently asked questions