U-50 — Brazil
Oil power plant in Pernambuco, Brazil. Approximate location -8.3636, -34.9975.
OilPernambucoBrazil
U-50 is a 50 MW oil power plant in Pernambuco, Brazil. It is operated by Petróleo Brasileiro SA [100%]. Based on its capacity (estimated), it can supply roughly 38k homes (estimated). It ranks #477 of 2,572 Brazil power plants by installed capacity. Commissioned in 2015, it is around 11 years old — relatively modern. In context, oil supplies about 1.7% of Brazil's electricity; the national grid averages 110 gCO₂/kWh (88.7% low-carbon) (2025).
Plant data: WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0), id BRA0030438.
Data status
Known data
Calculated from dataset
Not available
Known, modelled and calculated values are kept separate. Missing fields are shown as unavailable.
Data provenance
Source of the capacity and fuel values:
capacity: GEM · 2026 · L100000408552; fuel: WRI GPPD
In context: how this plant compares
At 50 MW, U-50 is well above the median oil plant in Brazil (2.4 MW). Oil-fired plants burn heavy fuel oil or diesel, usually as peaking or backup capacity on islands and grids without gas pipelines; high fuel cost keeps their utilisation low.
Capacity comparison computed from the WRI Global Power Plant Database; fuel-type context is general engineering background.
Key facts
- Share of Brazil oil capacity
- 0.4% of 11,544 MW across 645 plants in this dataset
- Age among peers
- 549 of 610 dated oil plants in Brazil are older
Calculated from the capacity and generation records in this dataset (WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0)).
Capacity vs largest oil plants in Brazil
Installed capacity (MW), WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0).
Owner
Operated by Petróleo Brasileiro SA [100%].
Local climate & thermal context
This oil plant burns oil or diesel to drive turbines or reciprocating engines. It sits in a tropical monsoon climate (Köppen Am) — Southern Hemisphere, latitude 8.4°S — 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 #54 largest oil power plant of 645 in Brazil by capacity.
Brazil has 645 oil power plants in this dataset, together about 11,544 MW of capacity.
Nearby power plants
- Petroquimicasuape · Oil · 12.7 MW · Pernambuco
- Energética Suape II SA power station · Oil · 381.1 MW · Pernambuco
- Caminho da Praia · Wind · 2 MW · Pernambuco
- Norsa Refrigerantes - Suape · Oil · 2.16 MW · Pernambuco
- U-50 power station · Oil · 100 MW · Pernambuco
- Termopernambuco · Gas · 533 MW · Pernambuco
Location
Coordinates -8.3636, -34.9975 from WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0). View on OpenStreetMap.
Frequently asked questions
What type of power plant is U-50?
U-50 is a 50 MW oil power plant in Pernambuco, Brazil, commissioned in 2015.
Who operates U-50?
U-50 is operated by Petróleo Brasileiro SA [100%].