Spencer Gas Turbine — United States of America
Oil power plant in Iowa, United States of America. Approximate location 43.1446, -95.1443.
OilIowaUnited States of AmericaCO₂ modelled
Spencer Gas Turbine is a 23.8 MW oil power plant in Iowa, United States of America. It is operated by City of Spencer - (IA). Based on reported annual generation of 0 GWh, it can supply roughly 114 homes. It ranks #4486 of 10,884 United States of America power plants by installed capacity. Commissioned in 1970, it is around 56 years old — an older, legacy facility. Its modelled annual emissions are 15,632 t CO₂/yr (Climate TRACE), equivalent to about 3.6k cars driven for a year. In context, oil supplies about 0.7% of United States of America's electricity; the national grid averages 384 gCO₂/kWh (43.0% low-carbon) (2025).
Plant data: WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0), id USA0001186.
Data status
Known data
Modelled source data
Calculated from dataset
Not available
Known, modelled and calculated values are kept separate. Missing fields are shown as unavailable.
Data provenance
Source of the capacity and fuel values:
capacity: Wikidata P2109; fuel: WRI GPPD
In context: how this plant compares
At 23.8 MW, Spencer Gas Turbine is well above the median oil plant in United States of America (7.2 MW). 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.
~15,632 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
- 0%, from 0 GWh of reported generation, in line with the 0% median for 469 oil plants in United States of America
- Generation trend
- 0 GWh in 2014 and 0 GWh in 2019 (+100%)
- Highest and lowest year
- 2019: 0 GWh; 2016: 0 GWh
- Share of United States of America oil capacity
- less than 0.1% of 40,022 MW across 902 plants in this dataset
- Age among peers
- 116 of 877 dated oil plants in United States of America 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 City of Spencer - (IA).
Local climate & thermal context
This oil plant burns oil or diesel to drive turbines or reciprocating engines. It sits in a hot-summer humid continental climate (Köppen Dfa) — Northern Hemisphere, latitude 43.1°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 65% above 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: 85/100 — this site sits in the top 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 mild atmospheric environment (estimated ISO 9223 class C2 — Low), with thermal cycling 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 #189 largest oil power plant of 902 in United States of America by capacity.
United States of America has 902 oil power plants in this dataset, together about 40,022 MW of capacity.
Nearby power plants
- Earl F Wisdom · Gas · 119.1 MW · Iowa
- Earl F. Wisdom Generating Station · Coal · 82 MW · Iowa
- Upland Prairie · Wind · 299.3 MW · Iowa
- Milford · Oil · 6.5 MW · Iowa
- Crosswind Energy Project · Wind · 21 MW · Iowa
- Lost Lakes Wind Farm LLC · Wind · 100 MW · Iowa
Location
Coordinates 43.1446, -95.1443 from WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0). View on OpenStreetMap.
Frequently asked questions
What type of power plant is Spencer Gas Turbine?
Spencer Gas Turbine is a 23.8 MW oil power plant in Iowa, United States of America, commissioned in 1970.
How much electricity does Spencer Gas Turbine generate?
Spencer Gas Turbine generates about 0 GWh of electricity per year.
Who operates Spencer Gas Turbine?
Spencer Gas Turbine is operated by City of Spencer - (IA).
How much CO₂ does Spencer Gas Turbine emit?
Spencer Gas Turbine has modelled emissions of about 15,632 tonnes of CO₂ per year (Climate TRACE).