Univ of NC Chapel Hill Cogen Facility — United States of America
Coal power plant in North Carolina, United States of America. Approximate location 35.9069, -79.0617.
CoalNorth CarolinaUnited States of AmericaCO₂ modelled
Univ of NC Chapel Hill Cogen Facility is a 32 MW coal power plant in North Carolina, United States of America. It is operated by University of North Carolina. Based on reported annual generation of 51 GWh, it can supply roughly 15k homes. It ranks #4172 of 10,884 United States of America power plants by installed capacity. Commissioned in 1993, it is around 33 years old — long-established. Its modelled annual emissions are 46,499 t CO₂/yr (Climate TRACE), equivalent to about 11k cars driven for a year. 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 USA0054276.
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 32 MW, Univ of NC Chapel Hill Cogen Facility is below 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.
~46,499 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
- 18%, from 51 GWh of reported generation; the median for 244 coal plants in United States of America that report generation is 41%
- Share of United States of America coal capacity
- less than 0.1% of 621,194 MW across 802 plants in this dataset
- Age among peers
- 652 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 University of North Carolina.
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 35.9°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 28% 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: 39/100 — 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 #766 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
- UNC-CH LFG Facility · Waste · 1 MW · North Carolina
- Farrington Farm · Solar · 1 MW · North Carolina
- Vickers · Solar · 2 MW · North Carolina
- White Cross Farm · Solar · 5 MW · North Carolina
- XPF Solar Field · Solar · 3 MW · North Carolina
- Arborgate Solar · Solar · 5 MW · North Carolina
Location
Coordinates 35.9069, -79.0617 from WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0). View on OpenStreetMap.
Frequently asked questions
What type of power plant is Univ of NC Chapel Hill Cogen Facility?
Univ of NC Chapel Hill Cogen Facility is a 32 MW coal power plant in North Carolina, United States of America, commissioned in 1993.
How much electricity does Univ of NC Chapel Hill Cogen Facility generate?
Univ of NC Chapel Hill Cogen Facility generates about 51 GWh of electricity per year.
Who operates Univ of NC Chapel Hill Cogen Facility?
Univ of NC Chapel Hill Cogen Facility is operated by University of North Carolina.
How much CO₂ does Univ of NC Chapel Hill Cogen Facility emit?
Univ of NC Chapel Hill Cogen Facility has modelled emissions of about 46,499 tonnes of CO₂ per year (Climate TRACE).