Sual power station — Philippines
Coal power plant in Ilocos, Philippines. Approximate location 16.1243, 120.1012.
CoalIlocosPhilippinessubcritical
Sual power station is a 1,294 MW coal power station in Ilocos, Philippines. It is operated by SMC Global Power Holdings Corp.. Based on its capacity (estimated), it can supply roughly 1.6 million homes (estimated). It ranks #3 of 186 Philippines power plants by installed capacity. Commissioned in 1999, it is around 27 years old — long-established. In context, coal supplies about 58.7% of Philippines's electricity; the national grid averages 588 gCO₂/kWh (23.3% low-carbon) (2025).
Plant data: WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0), id WRI1001872.
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 · L100000103190; fuel: WRI GPPD
In context: how this plant compares
At 1,294 MW, Sual power station is well above the median coal plant in Philippines (300 MW). 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
- Share of Philippines coal capacity
- 7.1% of 18,322 MW across 50 plants in this dataset
- Age among peers
- 2 of 28 dated coal plants in Philippines are older
Calculated from the capacity and generation records in this dataset (WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0)).
Capacity vs largest coal plants in Philippines
Installed capacity (MW), WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0).
Owner
Operated by SMC Global Power Holdings Corp..
Local climate & thermal context
This coal plant burns coal to raise high-pressure steam that spins a turbine-generator. It sits in a tropical monsoon climate (Köppen Am) — Northern Hemisphere, latitude 16.1°N — which shapes how much energy it can produce and how its output varies through the year.
Monthly mean temperature
This site has effectively no heating season (tropical/equatorial climate), so winter heat loss is not the driver here. The thermal concern shifts to year-round process heat and humidity/heat-driven corrosion of hot equipment.
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 50 in Philippines by capacity.
Philippines has 50 coal power plants in this dataset, together about 18,322 MW of capacity.
Nearby power plants
- Manaoag · Solar · 20 MW · Ilocos
- BAUANG DPP · Oil · 235.2 MW · Ilocos
- SAN ROQUE · Hydro · 435 MW · Ilocos
- Masinloc power station · Coal · 1,025.8 MW · Central Luzon
- Oyon Bay power station · Coal · 150 MW ·
- BINGA · Hydro · 140 MW · Cordillera
Location
Coordinates 16.1243, 120.1012 from WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0). View on OpenStreetMap.
Frequently asked questions
What type of power plant is Sual power station?
Sual power station is a 1,294 MW coal power plant in Ilocos, Philippines, commissioned in 1999.
Who operates Sual power station?
Sual power station is operated by SMC Global Power Holdings Corp..