Union County Resource Recovery — United States of America
Waste power plant in New Jersey, United States of America. Approximate location 40.6013, -74.2664.
WasteNew JerseyUnited States of AmericaCO₂ modelled
Union County Resource Recovery is a 45 MW waste power plant in New Jersey, United States of America. It is operated by Covanta Union Operations LLC. Based on reported annual generation of 294 GWh, it can supply roughly 84k homes. It ranks #3831 of 10,884 United States of America power plants by installed capacity. Commissioned in 1994, it is around 32 years old — long-established. Its modelled annual emissions are 377,400 t CO₂/yr (Climate TRACE), equivalent to about 88k cars driven for a year. In context, the national grid averages 384 gCO₂/kWh (43.0% low-carbon) (2025).
Plant data: WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0), id USA0050960.
Data status
Known data
Modelled source 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: Wikidata P2109; fuel: WRI GPPD
In context: how this plant compares
At 45 MW, Union County Resource Recovery is well above the median waste plant in United States of America (6.6 MW). Waste-to-energy plants burn municipal solid waste to generate electricity and heat, cutting landfill volume while recovering energy from residual waste.
Capacity comparison computed from the WRI Global Power Plant Database; fuel-type context is general engineering background.
~377,400 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
- Load factor
- 75%, from 294 GWh of reported generation; the median for 506 waste plants in United States of America that report generation is 62%
- Generation trend
- 297 GWh in 2013 and 294 GWh in 2019 (−1%)
- Highest and lowest year
- 2013: 297 GWh; 2018: 277 GWh
- Share of United States of America waste capacity
- 0.4% of 10,154 MW across 551 plants in this dataset
- Age among peers
- 161 of 541 dated waste 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 Covanta Union Operations LLC.
Local climate & thermal context
This waste plant recovers energy by combusting municipal or industrial waste. It sits in a humid subtropical climate (Köppen Cfa) — Northern Hemisphere, latitude 40.6°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 12% 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: 56/100 — 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 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 #75 largest waste power plant of 551 in United States of America by capacity.
United States of America has 551 waste power plants in this dataset, together about 10,154 MW of capacity.
Nearby power plants
- Merck Rahway Power Plant · Gas · 20.8 MW · New Jersey
- IGS Solar I - EWR6 · Solar · 1.9 MW · New Jersey
- IGS Solar I - EWR5 · Solar · 1.9 MW · New Jersey
- PurGen One · Coal · 400 MW · New Jersey
- IOS - ERW9 · Solar · 5.3 MW · New Jersey
- Bed Bath & Beyond DC Port Reading NJ · Solar · 1.8 MW · New Jersey
Location
Coordinates 40.6013, -74.2664 from WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0). View on OpenStreetMap.
Frequently asked questions
What type of power plant is Union County Resource Recovery?
Union County Resource Recovery is a 45 MW waste power plant in New Jersey, United States of America, commissioned in 1994.
How much electricity does Union County Resource Recovery generate?
Union County Resource Recovery generates about 294 GWh of electricity per year.
Who operates Union County Resource Recovery?
Union County Resource Recovery is operated by Covanta Union Operations LLC.
How much CO₂ does Union County Resource Recovery emit?
Union County Resource Recovery has modelled emissions of about 377,400 tonnes of CO₂ per year (Climate TRACE).