Trimble County — United States of America
Coal power plant in Kentucky, United States of America. Approximate location 38.5847, -85.4117.
CoalKentuckyUnited States of America
Trimble County is a 2,594.1 MW coal power station in Kentucky, United States of America. It is operated by Louisville Gas & Electric Co. Based on reported annual generation of 8,823 GWh, it can supply roughly 2.5 million homes. It ranks #59 of 10,884 United States of America power plants by installed capacity. Commissioned in 2003, it is around 23 years old — relatively modern. In context, coal supplies about 16.3% of United States of America's electricity; the national grid averages 384 gCO₂/kWh (43.0% low-carbon) (2025).
Plant data: WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0), id USA0006071.
Data status
Known data
Calculated from dataset
Not available
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 1,400 MW for Trimble County 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 · L100000103951; fuel: WRI GPPD
In context: how this plant compares
At 2,594.1 MW, Trimble County is well above the median coal plant in United States of America (558 MW). 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
- Load factor
- 39%, from 8,823 GWh of reported generation; the median for 244 coal plants in United States of America that report generation is 41%
- Generation trend
- 8,026 GWh in 2013 and 8,823 GWh in 2019 (+10%)
- Highest and lowest year
- 2015: 9,279 GWh; 2013: 8,026 GWh
- Share of United States of America coal capacity
- 0.4% of 621,194 MW across 802 plants in this dataset
- Age among peers
- 697 of 745 dated coal plants in United States of America 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 Louisville Gas & Electric Co. 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 humid subtropical climate (Köppen Cfa) — Northern Hemisphere, latitude 38.6°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 6% above 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: 52/100 — this site sits in the mid 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 a mild atmospheric environment (estimated ISO 9223 class C2 — Low), 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 #24 largest coal power plant of 802 in United States of America by capacity.
United States of America has 802 coal power plants in this dataset, together about 621,194 MW of capacity.
Nearby power plants
- Trimble County power station · Coal · 1,400 MW · Kentucky
- Marble Hill nuclear power plant · Nuclear · 2,260 MW · Indiana
- Clifty Creek · Coal · 1,303.8 MW · Indiana
- Clifty Creek Station · Coal · 1,303.8 MW · Indiana
- Bluegrass Generating Station · Gas · 624 MW · Kentucky
- Henryville Solar RES · Solar · 1.1 MW · Indiana
Location
Coordinates 38.5847, -85.4117 from WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0). View on OpenStreetMap.
Frequently asked questions
What type of power plant is Trimble County?
Trimble County is a 2,594.1 MW coal power plant in Kentucky, United States of America, commissioned in 2003.
How much electricity does Trimble County generate?
Trimble County generates about 8,823 GWh of electricity per year.
Who operates Trimble County?
Trimble County is operated by Louisville Gas & Electric Co.