West Tripoli is a 185 MW oil power station in Tripoli, Libya. It is operated by General Electricity Company of Libya. Based on its capacity (estimated), it can supply roughly 139k homes (estimated). It ranks #20 of 27 Libya power plants by installed capacity. Commissioned in 1976, it is around 50 years old — long-established. In context, oil supplies about 25.4% of Libya's electricity; the national grid averages 827 gCO₂/kWh (0.0% low-carbon) (2024).
Plant data: WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0), id WRI1023828.
Data status
Known data
Calculated from dataset
Not available
Known, modelled and calculated values are kept separate. Missing fields are shown as unavailable.
Capacity provenance
The public capacity above is the current source-record value. A 2026 tracker candidate lists 500 MW for West Tripoli Thermal power station, but it is not used as the public primary value until scope is verified (unit vs operating vs installed/project total).
Data provenance
Source of the capacity and fuel values:
capacity: GEM · 2026 · L100000408221; fuel: WRI GPPD
In context: how this plant compares
At 185 MW, West Tripoli is well above the median oil plant in Libya (100 MW). Technically it is described as Steam. 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 Libya oil capacity
- 12.8% of 1,450 MW across 8 plants in this dataset
- Age among peers
- 0 of 7 dated oil plants in Libya 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 Libya
Installed capacity (MW), WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0).
Owner
Operated by General Electricity Company of Libya. All plants by this company →
Local climate & thermal context
This oil plant burns oil or diesel to drive turbines or reciprocating engines. It sits in a hot semi-arid steppe climate (Köppen BSh) — Northern Hemisphere, latitude 32.8°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 77% 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: 21/100 — 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 #3 largest oil power plant of 8 in Libya by capacity.
Libya has 8 oil power plants in this dataset, together about 1,450 MW of capacity.
Nearby power plants
- South Tripoli · Gas · 147 MW · Tripoli
- AL Zahra power plant · Gas · 141 MW · Zahra
- GECOL power plant 2 · Oil · 100 MW · Tripoli
- New South Tripoli Gas power station · Gas · 1,320 MW · Tripoli
- Karpowership (Libya) power station · Gas · 1,000 MW · Port of Tripoli
- Az Zawiyah · Gas · 1,440 MW · Az Zawiyah
Location
Coordinates 32.8251, 12.9739 from WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0). View on OpenStreetMap.
Frequently asked questions
What type of power plant is West Tripoli?
West Tripoli is a 185 MW oil power plant in Tripoli, Libya, commissioned in 1976.
Who operates West Tripoli?
West Tripoli is operated by General Electricity Company of Libya.