Wadeye is a 6.8 MW gas power plant in Western Australia, Australia. It is operated by NT Government. Based on reported annual generation of 9 GWh, it can supply roughly 2.7k homes. It ranks #419 of 536 Australia power plants by installed capacity. In context, gas supplies about 16.4% 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 AUS0000480.
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
Capacity and fuel are the upstream open-dataset record, not yet matched to a 2026 registry or GEM entry.
capacity: WRI GPPD; fuel: WRI GPPD
In context: how this plant compares
At 6.8 MW, Wadeye is below the median gas plant in Australia (106 MW). Gas plants burn natural gas either in open-cycle turbines for fast peaking, or in combined-cycle units that recover exhaust heat in an HRSG to reach roughly 55–62% efficiency — the cleanest-burning fossil option.
Capacity comparison computed from the WRI Global Power Plant Database; fuel-type context is general engineering background.
Key facts
- Load factor
- 16%, from 9 GWh of reported generation; the median for 84 gas plants in Australia that report generation is 24%
- Generation trend
- 10 GWh in 2016 and 9 GWh in 2018 (−1%)
- Highest and lowest year
- 2016: 10 GWh; 2017: 9 GWh
- Share of Australia gas capacity
- less than 0.1% of 29,942 MW across 163 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 NT Government.
Local climate & thermal context
This gas plant burns natural gas in a turbine — often in a combined-cycle setup — to generate electricity. It sits in a tropical savanna climate (Köppen Aw) — Southern Hemisphere, latitude 14.3°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.
A gas turbine here also runs ~9% below its ISO (15°C) rating at this annual mean (typical CCGT curve, estimate).
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 #150 largest gas power plant of 163 in Australia by capacity.
Australia has 163 gas power plants in this dataset, together about 29,942 MW of capacity.
Nearby power plants
- Channel Island · Gas · 301.4 MW · Northern Territory
- Weddell · Gas · 86 MW · Northern Territory
- Ichthys LNG power station · Gas · 490 MW · Northern Territory
Location
Coordinates -14.2602, 129.5368 from WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0). View on OpenStreetMap.
Frequently asked questions
What type of power plant is Wadeye?
Wadeye is a 6.8 MW gas power plant in Western Australia, Australia.
How much electricity does Wadeye generate?
Wadeye generates about 9 GWh of electricity per year.
Who operates Wadeye?
Wadeye is operated by NT Government.