Stratford power station — New Zealand
Gas power plant in Taranaki, New Zealand. Approximate location -39.330476, 174.319736.
GasTaranakiNew ZealandCCGT · HRSG
Stratford power station is a 587 MW gas power station in Taranaki, New Zealand. It is operated by Contact Energy Ltd [100%]. Based on its capacity (estimated), it can supply roughly 661k homes (estimated). It ranks #3 of 50 New Zealand power plants by installed capacity. Commissioned in 1998, it is around 28 years old — long-established. In context, gas supplies about 8.9% of New Zealand's electricity; the national grid averages 93 gCO₂/kWh (88.5% low-carbon) (2025).
Plant data: WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0), id GOGPT_stratford_newzea.
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
Source of the capacity and fuel values:
capacity: GEM · 2026 · L100000406866; fuel: GEM GOGPT
In context: how this plant compares
At 587 MW, Stratford power station is well above the median gas plant in New Zealand (112 MW). Technically it is described as CCGT; combined-cycle with a heat-recovery steam generator (HRSG). 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
- Share of New Zealand gas capacity
- 25.6% of 2,290 MW across 10 plants in this dataset
- Age among peers
- 2 of 9 dated gas plants in New Zealand are older
Calculated from the capacity and generation records in this dataset (WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0)).
Capacity vs largest gas plants in New Zealand
Installed capacity (MW), WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0).
Owner
Operated by Contact Energy Ltd [100%].
Climate zone & how it works
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) — Southern Hemisphere, latitude 39.3°S — which shapes how much energy it can produce and how its output varies through the year.
Climate zone & typical temperatures: Köppen-Geiger world climate classification (Kottek et al. 2006, 0.5° grid).
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 #1 largest gas power plant of 10 in New Zealand by capacity.
New Zealand has 10 gas power plants in this dataset, together about 2,290 MW of capacity.
Nearby power plants
- McKee power station · Gas · 100 MW · Taranaki
- Junction Road power station · Gas · 100 MW · Taranaki
- Whareroa power station · Gas · 70 MW · Taranaki
- Patea · Hydro · 32 MW · Taranaki
- Waikato power station · Gas · 360 MW · Waikato
- Te Uku · Wind · 64 MW · Waikato
Location
Coordinates -39.330476, 174.319736 from WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0). View on OpenStreetMap.
Frequently asked questions
What type of power plant is Stratford power station?
Stratford power station is a 587 MW gas power plant in Taranaki, New Zealand, commissioned in 1998.
Who operates Stratford power station?
Stratford power station is operated by Contact Energy Ltd [100%].