SAN FILIPPO DEL MELA is a 960 MW oil power station in Sicily, Italy. It is operated by Edipower. Based on reported annual generation of 1,300 GWh, it can supply roughly 371k homes. It ranks #28 of 489 Italy power plants by installed capacity. Commissioned in 1999, it is around 27 years old — long-established. Its modelled annual emissions are 465,908 t CO₂/yr (Climate TRACE), equivalent to about 109k cars driven for a year. In context, oil supplies about 2.6% of Italy's electricity; the national grid averages 285 gCO₂/kWh (48.8% low-carbon) (2025).
Plant data: WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0), id WRI1002947.
Data status
Known data
Modelled source data
Calculated from dataset
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 · L100000407556; fuel: WRI GPPD
In context: how this plant compares
At 960 MW, SAN FILIPPO DEL MELA is well above the median oil plant in Italy (210 MW). Technically it is described as Steam. Oil-fired plants burn heavy fuel oil or diesel, usually as peaking or backup capacity on islands and grids without gas pipelines; high fuel cost keeps their utilisation low.
Capacity comparison computed from the WRI Global Power Plant Database; fuel-type context is general engineering background.
~465,908 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
- 15%, from 1,300 GWh of reported generation; the median for 5 oil plants in Italy that report generation is 11%
- Generation trend
- 2,181 GWh in 2015 and 1,300 GWh in 2017 (−40%)
- Highest and lowest year
- 2015: 2,181 GWh; 2016: 1,248 GWh
- Share of Italy oil capacity
- 10.5% of 9,157 MW across 15 plants in this dataset
- Age among peers
- 10 of 12 dated oil plants in Italy 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 Edipower. All plants by this company →
Local climate & thermal context
This oil plant burns oil or diesel to drive turbines or reciprocating engines. It sits in a hot-summer Mediterranean climate (Köppen Csa) — Northern Hemisphere, latitude 38.2°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 41% 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: 33/100 — 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 a moderately corrosive environment (estimated ISO 9223 class C3 — Medium), with humidity / wetness 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 #5 largest oil power plant of 15 in Italy by capacity.
Italy has 15 oil power plants in this dataset, together about 9,157 MW of capacity.
Nearby power plants
Location
Coordinates 38.2049, 15.2818 from WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0). View on OpenStreetMap.
Frequently asked questions
What type of power plant is SAN FILIPPO DEL MELA?
SAN FILIPPO DEL MELA is a 960 MW oil power plant in Sicily, Italy, commissioned in 1999.
How much electricity does SAN FILIPPO DEL MELA generate?
SAN FILIPPO DEL MELA generates about 1,300 GWh of electricity per year.
Who operates SAN FILIPPO DEL MELA?
SAN FILIPPO DEL MELA is operated by Edipower.
How much CO₂ does SAN FILIPPO DEL MELA emit?
SAN FILIPPO DEL MELA has modelled emissions of about 465,908 tonnes of CO₂ per year (Climate TRACE).