Wierzchowice Ugs power station — Poland

Wierzchowice Ugs power station is a 40 MW gas power plant in Dolnoslaskie, Poland. It is operated by ORLEN SA [100%]. Based on its capacity (estimated), it can supply roughly 45k homes (estimated). It ranks #145 of 246 Poland power plants by installed capacity. Commissioned in 2012, it is around 14 years old — relatively modern. Its annual emissions of 22,020 t CO₂/yr (EU ETS verified (EUTL 2023)) are equivalent to about 5.1k cars driven for a year. In context, gas supplies about 14.3% of Poland's electricity; the national grid averages 589 gCO₂/kWh (31.5% low-carbon) (2025).

Plant data: WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0), id GOGPT_wierzchowiceugs_poland.

Data provenance

Source of the capacity and fuel values:

capacity: GEM · 2026 · L100000400580; fuel: GEM GOGPT

In context: how this plant compares

At 40 MW, Wierzchowice Ugs power station is below the median gas plant in Poland (141 MW). Technically it is described as CCGT; combined-cycle with a heat-recovery steam generator (HRSG). 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.

22,020 t CO₂/yr — in everyday terms

This facility's annual emissions are roughly equivalent to:

Equivalencies via US EPA Greenhouse Gas Equivalencies; emissions per EU ETS verified (EUTL 2023) (measured for US EPA/EU ETS, modelled for Climate TRACE).

Key facts

Share of Poland gas capacity

0.5% of 8,201 MW across 37 plants in this dataset

Age among peers

11 of 31 dated gas plants in Poland are older

Calculated from the capacity and generation records in this dataset (WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0)).

Capacity vs largest gas plants in Poland

Installed capacity (MW), WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0).

Owner

Operated by ORLEN SA [100%].

Climate zone & how it works

This gas plant burns natural gas in a turbine — often in a combined-cycle setup — to generate electricity. It sits in a temperate oceanic climate (Köppen Cfb) — Northern Hemisphere, latitude 51.5°N — which shapes how much energy it can produce and how its output varies through the year.

Climate zone & typical temperatures: Köppen-Geiger world climate classification (Kottek et al. 2006, 0.5° grid).

Site climate & environmental severity

This site sits in a mild atmospheric environment (estimated ISO 9223 class C2 — Low), 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 #30 largest gas power plant of 37 in Poland by capacity.

Poland has 37 gas power plants in this dataset, together about 8,201 MW of capacity.

Nearby power plants

• FW Krobia · Wind · 33 MW · Greater Poland Voivodeship
• Ostrów Wielkopolski power station · Gas · 600 MW · Greater Poland Voivodeship
• FW Pągów · Wind · 51 MW · Opole Voivodeship
• EC Wrocław · Coal · 263 MW · Lower Silesian Voivodeship
• FF Ostrzeszów · Solar · 2 MW · Greater Poland Voivodeship
• EC Czechnica · Coal · 110 MW · Lower Silesian Voivodeship

Location

Coordinates 51.473895, 17.305197 from WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0). View on OpenStreetMap.

Frequently asked questions