Sulcis power station is a 590 MW coal power station in Sardinia, Italy. It is operated by Enel SpA. Based on reported annual generation of 1,032 GWh, it can supply roughly 295k homes. It ranks #61 of 489 Italy power plants by installed capacity. Commissioned in 1997, it is around 29 years old — long-established. Its annual emissions of 1,239,365 t CO₂/yr (EU ETS verified (EUTL 2023)) are equivalent to about 289k cars driven for a year. In context, coal supplies about 1.4% of Italy's electricity; the national grid averages 285 gCO₂/kWh (48.8% low-carbon) (2025).
Plant data: WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0), id WRI1002959.
Data status
Known data
Calculated from dataset
Known, modelled and calculated values are kept separate. Missing fields are shown as unavailable.
Capacity provenance
The public capacity above is the current source-record value. A 2026 tracker candidate lists 590 MW for Sulcis power station, but it is not used as the public primary value until scope is verified (unit vs operating vs installed/project total).
Data provenance
Source of the capacity and fuel values:
capacity: GEM · 2026 · L100000102844; fuel: WRI GPPD
In context: how this plant compares
At 590 MW, Sulcis power station is around the median coal plant in Italy (640 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.
1,239,365 t CO₂/yr — in everyday terms
This facility's annual emissions are roughly equivalent to:
Equivalencies via US EPA Greenhouse Gas Equivalencies; emissions per EU ETS verified (EUTL 2023) (measured for US EPA/EU ETS, modelled for Climate TRACE).
Key facts
- Load factor
- 20%, from 1,032 GWh of reported generation
- Generation trend
- 1,300 GWh in 2015 and 1,032 GWh in 2017 (−21%)
- Highest and lowest year
- 2015: 1,300 GWh; 2016: 666 GWh
- Share of Italy coal capacity
- 4.6% of 12,942 MW across 16 plants in this dataset
- Age among peers
- 10 of 14 dated coal plants in Italy 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 Enel SpA. All plants by this company →
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 39.2°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 61% 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 #10 largest coal power plant of 16 in Italy by capacity.
Italy has 16 coal power plants in this dataset, together about 12,942 MW of capacity.
Nearby power plants
- Portoscuso · Oil · 320 MW · Sardinia
- Iglesias Solar Power Plant · Solar · 2 MW · Sardinia
- Uta Solar Power Plant · Solar · 5.8 MW · Sardinia
- Villacidro REC · Solar · 5 MW · Sardinia
- Macchiareddu · Solar · 7.2 MW · Sardinia
- Saint Lucia · Solar · 9.3 MW · Sardinia
Location
Coordinates 39.1961, 8.4002 from WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0). View on OpenStreetMap.
Frequently asked questions
What type of power plant is Sulcis power station?
Sulcis power station is a 590 MW coal power plant in Sardinia, Italy, commissioned in 1997.
How much electricity does Sulcis power station generate?
Sulcis power station generates about 1,032 GWh of electricity per year.
Who operates Sulcis power station?
Sulcis power station is operated by Enel SpA.
How much CO₂ does Sulcis power station emit?
Sulcis power station has measured emissions of about 1,239,365 tonnes of CO₂ per year (EU ETS verified (EUTL 2023)).