SANTURCE GRUPO 4 — Spain

SANTURCE GRUPO 4 is a 396.4 MW gas power station in Basque Country, Spain. It is operated by HIDROELECTRICA IBERICA S.L.. Based on reported annual generation of 139 GWh, it can supply roughly 40k homes. It ranks #68 of 899 Spain power plants by installed capacity. Commissioned in 2005, it is around 21 years old — relatively modern. In context, gas supplies about 21.6% of Spain's electricity; the national grid averages 154 gCO₂/kWh (74.6% low-carbon) (2025).

Plant data: WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0), id WRI1007889.

Data provenance

Source of the capacity and fuel values:

capacity: GEM · 2026 · L100000400713; fuel: WRI GPPD

In context: how this plant compares

At 396.4 MW, SANTURCE GRUPO 4 is well above the median gas plant in Spain (54 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

Load factor

4%, from 139 GWh of reported generation; the median for 24 gas plants in Spain that report generation is 15%

Share of Spain gas capacity

1.2% of 32,018 MW across 95 plants in this dataset

Age among peers

38 of 83 dated gas plants in Spain 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 HIDROELECTRICA IBERICA S.L..

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 temperate oceanic climate (Köppen Cfb) — Northern Hemisphere, latitude 43.3°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 30% 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: 38/100 — this site sits in the mid third of the power plants we cover by heating degree-days.

A gas turbine here also runs ~0% 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 a corrosive environment (estimated ISO 9223 class C4 — High), 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 #32 largest gas power plant of 95 in Spain by capacity.

Spain has 95 gas power plants in this dataset, together about 32,018 MW of capacity.

Nearby power plants

• CT SANTURCE 2 · Oil · 897 MW · Basque Country
• Bahía de Bizkaia power station · Gas · 785 MW · Basque Country
• Zabalgarbi power station · Waste · 96 MW · Basque Country
• Lemóniz nuclear power plant · Nuclear · 1,860 MW · Biscay
• AMOREBIETA · Gas · 786.4 MW · Basque Country
• BARAZAR 1 · Hydro · 82.7 MW · Basque Country

Location

Coordinates 43.34, -3.0539 from WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0). View on OpenStreetMap.

Frequently asked questions