Torrens Island B — Australia

Torrens Island B is a 800 MW gas power station in South Australia, Australia. It is operated by AGL Energy Pty Ltd. Based on its capacity (estimated), it can supply roughly 901k homes (estimated). It ranks #21 of 536 Australia power plants by installed capacity. Its modelled annual emissions are 587,440 t CO₂/yr (Climate TRACE), equivalent to about 137k cars driven for a year. In context, gas supplies about 16.4% of Australia's electricity; the national grid averages 525 gCO₂/kWh (38.6% low-carbon) (2025).

Plant data: WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0), id AUS0000241.

Data provenance

Source of the capacity and fuel values:

capacity: GEM · 2026 · L100000405140; fuel: WRI GPPD

In context: how this plant compares

At 800 MW, Torrens Island B is well above the median gas plant in Australia (106 MW). 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.

~587,440 t CO₂/yr (modelled) — in everyday terms

This facility's annual emissions are roughly equivalent to:

Equivalencies via US EPA Greenhouse Gas Equivalencies; modelled emissions from Climate TRACE.

Key facts

Share of Australia gas capacity

2.7% of 29,942 MW across 163 plants in this dataset

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 Australia

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

Owner

Operated by AGL Energy Pty Ltd. All plants by this company →

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 warm-summer Mediterranean climate (Köppen Csb) — Southern Hemisphere, latitude 34.8°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 ~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 moderately corrosive environment (estimated ISO 9223 class C3 — Medium), with humidity / wetness 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 #2 largest gas power plant of 163 in Australia by capacity.

Australia has 163 gas power plants in this dataset, together about 29,942 MW of capacity.

Nearby power plants

• Torrens Island A · Gas · 480 MW · South Australia
• Barker Inlet power station · Gas · 210 MW · South Australia
• Osborne · Gas · 180 MW · South Australia
• Quarantine · Gas · 224 MW · South Australia
• Wingfield II · Waste · 5 MW · South Australia
• Wingfield I · Waste · 5 MW · South Australia

Location

Coordinates -34.8052, 138.5226 from WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0). View on OpenStreetMap.

Frequently asked questions