Tocopilla power station — Chile

Tocopilla power station is a 394 MW gas power station in Antofagasta, Chile. It is operated by ENGIE Energía Chile SA [100%]. Based on its capacity (estimated), it can supply roughly 444k homes (estimated). It ranks #25 of 336 Chile power plants by installed capacity. Commissioned in 2001, it is around 25 years old — relatively modern. In context, gas supplies about 15.3% of Chile's electricity; the national grid averages 289 gCO₂/kWh (66.4% low-carbon) (2025).

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

Data provenance

Capacity and fuel are the upstream open-dataset record, not yet matched to a 2026 registry or GEM entry.

capacity: GEM GOGPT; fuel: GEM GOGPT

In context: how this plant compares

At 394 MW, Tocopilla power station is around the median gas plant in Chile (379 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 Chile gas capacity

6.1% of 6,512 MW across 19 plants in this dataset

Age among peers

2 of 5 dated gas plants in Chile 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 Chile

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

Owner

Operated by ENGIE Energía Chile SA [100%].

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 cold desert climate (Köppen BWk) — Southern Hemisphere, latitude 22.1°S — 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.

A gas turbine here also runs ~0% 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 dust abrasion 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 #9 largest gas power plant of 19 in Chile by capacity.

Chile has 19 gas power plants in this dataset, together about 6,512 MW of capacity.

Nearby power plants

• TERMOELECTRICA NORGENER (NTO2) · Coal · 259.3 MW · Antofagasta
• TERMOELECTRICA TOCOPILLA (U12) · Coal · 1,001.7 MW · Antofagasta
• DIESEL TAMAYA (SUTA) · Oil · 99 MW · Antofagasta
• Crucero · Solar · 72.8 MW · Antofagasta
• Blue Sky · Solar · 127.9 MW · Antofagasta
• Finis Terrae · Solar · 138 MW · Antofagasta

Location

Coordinates -22.096386, -70.211759 from WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0). View on OpenStreetMap.

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