Vales Point B — Australia

Vales Point B is a 1,320 MW coal power station in New South Wales, Australia. It is operated by Delta Electricity. Based on reported annual generation of 8,063 GWh, it can supply roughly 2.3 million homes. It ranks #13 of 536 Australia power plants by installed capacity. Its modelled annual emissions are 6,455,300 t CO₂/yr (Climate TRACE), equivalent to about 1.5 million cars driven for a year. In context, coal supplies about 42.7% 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 AUS0000295.

Data provenance

Source of the capacity and fuel values:

capacity: GEM · 2026 · L100000100010; fuel: WRI GPPD

In context: how this plant compares

At 1,320 MW, Vales Point B is well above the median coal plant in Australia (700 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.

~6,455,300 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

70%, from 8,063 GWh of reported generation; the median for 19 coal plants in Australia that report generation is 67%

Generation trend

7,526 GWh in 2013 and 8,063 GWh in 2018 (+7%)

Highest and lowest year

2017: 8,131 GWh; 2014: 6,814 GWh

Share of Australia coal capacity

4.0% of 32,918 MW across 38 plants in this dataset

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 Delta Electricity. 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) — Southern Hemisphere, latitude 33.2°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 75% 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: 22/100 — this site sits in the bottom 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 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 #12 largest coal power plant of 38 in Australia by capacity.

Australia has 38 coal power plants in this dataset, together about 32,918 MW of capacity.

Nearby power plants

• Colongra · Gas · 724 MW · New South Wales
• Munmorah · Coal · 600 MW · New South Wales
• Eraring · Oil · 41.5 MW · New South Wales
• Teralba · Gas · 3 MW · New South Wales
• Charlestown Square · Gas · 2.8 MW · New South Wales
• Summerhill · Solar · 5 MW · New South Wales

Location

Coordinates -33.1607, 151.5431 from WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0). View on OpenStreetMap.

Frequently asked questions