Richards Bay Umbani power station — South Africa
Coal power plant in , South Africa. Approximate location -28.8, 32.1.
CoalSouth Africasubcritical
Richards Bay Umbani power station is a 270 MW coal power station in , South Africa. It is operated by Umbani Power [100%]. Based on its capacity (estimated), it can supply roughly 338k homes (estimated). It ranks #55 of 152 South Africa power plants by installed capacity. In context, coal supplies about 81.4% of South Africa's electricity; the national grid averages 699 gCO₂/kWh (17.8% low-carbon) (2025).
Plant data: WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0), id GEM_coa_richardsbayumbani_south.
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
Capacity and fuel are the upstream open-dataset record, not yet matched to a 2026 registry or GEM entry.
capacity: GEM GCPT; fuel: GEM GCPT
In context: how this plant compares
At 270 MW, Richards Bay Umbani power station is below the median coal plant in South Africa (1,180 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 South Africa coal capacity
- 0.4% of 67,847 MW across 37 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 coal plants in South Africa
Installed capacity (MW), WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0).
Owner
Operated by Umbani Power [100%].
Climate zone & how it works
This coal plant burns coal to raise high-pressure steam that spins a turbine-generator. 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.
Climate zone & typical temperatures: Köppen-Geiger world climate classification (Kottek et al. 2006, 0.5° grid).
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 #34 largest coal power plant of 37 in South Africa by capacity.
South Africa has 37 coal power plants in this dataset, together about 67,847 MW of capacity.
Nearby power plants
- Richards Bay (Mhlathuze Energy) power station · Gas · 3,300 MW · KwaZulu-Natal
- Nseleni Independent Floating power station · Gas · 2,800 MW · KwaZulu-Natal
- Karpowership Richards Bay power station · Gas · 450 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
- Phinda power plant · Gas · 450 MW · KwaZulu-Natal
Location
Coordinates -28.8, 32.1 from WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0). View on OpenStreetMap.
Frequently asked questions
What type of power plant is Richards Bay Umbani power station?
Richards Bay Umbani power station is a 270 MW coal power plant in , South Africa.
Who operates Richards Bay Umbani power station?
Richards Bay Umbani power station is operated by Umbani Power [100%].