Termoguajira power station — Colombia

Termoguajira power station is a 275 MW coal power station in La Guajira, Colombia. It is operated by Gecelca SAESP. Based on its capacity (estimated), it can supply roughly 344k homes (estimated). It ranks #24 of 44 Colombia power plants by installed capacity. Commissioned in 1985, it is around 41 years old — long-established. In context, coal supplies about 6.1% of Colombia's electricity; the national grid averages 187 gCO₂/kWh (77.0% low-carbon) (2025).

Plant data: WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0), id WRI1075562.

Capacity provenance

The public capacity above is the current source-record value. A 2026 tracker candidate lists 275 MW for Termoguajira 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 · L100000101770; fuel: WRI GPPD

In context: how this plant compares

At 275 MW, Termoguajira power station is below the median coal plant in Colombia (335 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 Colombia coal capacity

7.7% of 3,578 MW across 9 plants in this dataset

Age among peers

1 of 7 dated coal plants in Colombia is 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 Colombia

Installed capacity (MW), WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0).

Owner

Operated by Gecelca SAESP.

Local climate & thermal context

This coal plant burns coal to raise high-pressure steam that spins a turbine-generator. It sits in a tropical savanna climate (Köppen Aw) — Northern Hemisphere, latitude 11.3°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 #7 largest coal power plant of 9 in Colombia by capacity.

Colombia has 9 coal power plants in this dataset, together about 3,578 MW of capacity.

Nearby power plants

• Nencol 5 power station · Gas · 2,241 MW · Magdalena
• Termonorte power station · Gas · 93 MW · Magdalena
• Termobonda power station · Gas · 94 MW · Magdalena
• Termocosta power station · Gas · 94 MW · Magdalena
• Termogaira power station · Gas · 94 MW · Magdalena
• Paso Diablo power station · Coal · 1,000 MW · Zulia

Location

Coordinates 11.2622, -73.4156 from WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0). View on OpenStreetMap.

Frequently asked questions