Sour is a 35 MW oil power plant in Liban-Sud, Lebanon. It is operated by Electricity Of Lebanon [100%]. Based on its capacity (estimated), it can supply roughly 26k homes (estimated). It ranks #10 of 10 Lebanon power plants by installed capacity. Commissioned in 1996, it is around 30 years old — long-established. In context, oil supplies about 56.2% of Lebanon's electricity; the national grid averages 390 gCO₂/kWh (43.8% low-carbon) (2024).
Plant data: WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0), id WRI1023667.
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: WRI GPPD; fuel: WRI GPPD
In context: how this plant compares
At 35 MW, Sour is below the median oil plant in Lebanon (70 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.
Key facts
- Share of Lebanon oil capacity
- 2.7% of 1,315 MW across 7 plants in this dataset
- Age among peers
- 5 of 7 dated oil plants in Lebanon are older
Calculated from the capacity and generation records in this dataset (WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0)).
Capacity vs largest oil plants in Lebanon
Installed capacity (MW), WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0).
Owner
Operated by Electricity Of Lebanon [100%].
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 33.3°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 73% 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: 23/100 — 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 #7 largest oil power plant of 7 in Lebanon by capacity.
Lebanon has 7 oil power plants in this dataset, together about 1,315 MW of capacity.
Nearby power plants
- Zahrani · Gas · 465 MW · Liban-Sud
- Jieh 1 · Oil · 347.5 MW · Liban-Sud
- Haifa · Gas · 1,022 MW · Haifa
- Ramat Gabriel power station · Gas · 73 MW · Migdal HaEmek
- Alon Tavor · Gas · 593 MW · Northern District
- Sirin Afcon · Wind · 21 MW · Northern District
Location
Coordinates 33.2761, 35.2289 from WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0). View on OpenStreetMap.
Frequently asked questions
What type of power plant is Sour?
Sour is a 35 MW oil power plant in Liban-Sud, Lebanon, commissioned in 1996.
Who operates Sour?
Sour is operated by Electricity Of Lebanon [100%].