Sines power station is a 1,296 MW coal power station in Setubal, Portugal. It is operated by EDP Produção. Based on reported annual generation of 9,436 GWh, it can supply roughly 2.7 million homes. It ranks #1 of 480 Portugal power plants by installed capacity. Commissioned in 1986, it is around 40 years old — long-established. In context, coal supplies about 0.0% of Portugal's electricity; the national grid averages 128 gCO₂/kWh (81.0% low-carbon) (2025).
Plant data: WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0), id WRI1023227.
Data status
Known data
Calculated from dataset
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: WRI GPPD; fuel: WRI GPPD
In context: how this plant compares
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
- Load factor
- 83%, from 9,436 GWh of reported generation
- Generation trend
- 9,635 GWh in 2015 and 9,436 GWh in 2017 (−2%)
- Highest and lowest year
- 2015: 9,635 GWh; 2016: 8,083 GWh
- Share of Portugal coal capacity
- 65.5% of 1,978 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)).
Reported generation trend
Annual generation (GWh), WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0).
Owner
Operated by EDP Produção.
Local climate & thermal context
This coal plant burns coal to raise high-pressure steam that spins a turbine-generator. It sits in a hot-summer Mediterranean climate (Köppen Csa) — Northern Hemisphere, latitude 37.9°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 59% 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: 26/100 — 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 #1 largest coal power plant of 2 in Portugal by capacity.
Portugal has 2 coal power plants in this dataset, together about 1,978 MW of capacity.
Nearby power plants
- Sines Polimeros power station · Gas · 43 MW · Setubal
- Moinho dos Chãos · Wind · 1.8 MW · Setubal
- Indorama Sines power station · Gas · 41 MW · Setubal
- Chaminé · Wind · 6.9 MW · Setubal
- Costa Vicentina · Wind · 10 MW · Setubal
- Bugalheira · Hydro · 1.4 MW · Beja
Location
Coordinates 37.9322, -8.8038 from WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0). View on OpenStreetMap.
Frequently asked questions
What type of power plant is Sines power station?
Sines power station is a 1,296 MW coal power plant in Setubal, Portugal, commissioned in 1986.
How much electricity does Sines power station generate?
Sines power station generates about 9,436 GWh of electricity per year.
Who operates Sines power station?
Sines power station is operated by EDP Produção.