TARRAGONA is a 802.8 MW gas power station in Catalonia, Spain. It is operated by TARRAGONA POWER S.L.. Based on reported annual generation of 544 GWh, it can supply roughly 155k homes. It ranks #34 of 899 Spain power plants by installed capacity. Commissioned in 2004, it is around 22 years old — relatively modern. Its annual emissions of 202,344 t CO₂/yr (EU ETS verified (EUTL 2023)) are equivalent to about 47k cars driven for a year. In context, gas supplies about 21.6% of Spain's electricity; the national grid averages 154 gCO₂/kWh (74.6% low-carbon) (2025).
Plant data: WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0), id WRI1007956.
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 417 MW for Tarragona 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
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 802.8 MW, TARRAGONA is well above the median gas plant in Spain (54 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.
202,344 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
- 8%, from 544 GWh of reported generation; the median for 24 gas plants in Spain that report generation is 15%
- Generation trend
- 443 GWh in 2015 and 544 GWh in 2017 (+23%)
- Highest and lowest year
- 2017: 544 GWh; 2016: 420 GWh
- Share of Spain gas capacity
- 2.5% of 32,018 MW across 95 plants in this dataset
- Age among peers
- 35 of 83 dated gas plants in Spain 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 TARRAGONA POWER S.L..
Local climate & thermal context
This gas plant burns natural gas in a turbine — often in a combined-cycle setup — to generate electricity. It sits in a hot-summer Mediterranean climate (Köppen Csa) — Northern Hemisphere, latitude 41.1°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 46% 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: 31/100 — this site sits in the bottom third of the power plants we cover by heating degree-days.
A gas turbine here also runs ~1% below its ISO (15°C) rating at this annual mean (typical CCGT curve, estimate).
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 corrosive environment (estimated ISO 9223 class C4 — High), with marine 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 #16 largest gas power plant of 95 in Spain by capacity.
Spain has 95 gas power plants in this dataset, together about 32,018 MW of capacity.
Nearby power plants
- Tarragona Refinery power station · Oil · 85 MW · Catalonia
- El Morell power station · Oil · 150 MW · Catalonia
- CTCC PLANA DEL VENT 2 · Gas · 834.1 MW · Catalonia
- VANDELLOS GR 2 · Nuclear · 1,087 MW · Catalonia
- LES FORQUES · Wind · 30 MW · Catalonia
- LES COLLADETES I · Wind · 36.6 MW · Catalonia
Location
Coordinates 41.1081, 1.1912 from WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0). View on OpenStreetMap.
Frequently asked questions
What type of power plant is TARRAGONA?
TARRAGONA is a 802.8 MW gas power plant in Catalonia, Spain, commissioned in 2004.
How much electricity does TARRAGONA generate?
TARRAGONA generates about 544 GWh of electricity per year.
Who operates TARRAGONA?
TARRAGONA is operated by TARRAGONA POWER S.L..
How much CO₂ does TARRAGONA emit?
TARRAGONA has measured emissions of about 202,344 tonnes of CO₂ per year (EU ETS verified (EUTL 2023)).