Wissington Sugar Factory power station — United Kingdom

Wissington Sugar Factory power station is a 93 MW gas power plant in Norfolk, United Kingdom. It is operated by British Sugar PLC [100%]. Based on its capacity (estimated), it can supply roughly 105k homes (estimated). It ranks #176 of 2,860 United Kingdom power plants by installed capacity. Commissioned in 1999, it is around 27 years old — long-established. In context, gas supplies about 31.1% of United Kingdom's electricity; the national grid averages 217 gCO₂/kWh (64.4% low-carbon) (2025).

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

Data provenance

Source of the capacity and fuel values:

capacity: GEM · 2026 · L100000400809; fuel: GEM GOGPT

In context: how this plant compares

At 93 MW, Wissington Sugar Factory power station is below the median gas plant in United Kingdom (115 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.

Key facts

Share of United Kingdom gas capacity

0.2% of 52,329 MW across 130 plants in this dataset

Age among peers

24 of 97 dated gas plants in United Kingdom 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 United Kingdom

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

Owner

Operated by British Sugar PLC [100%].

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 temperate oceanic climate (Köppen Cfb) — Northern Hemisphere, latitude 52.6°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 20% above 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: 61/100 — this site sits in the mid third of the power plants we cover by heating degree-days.

A gas turbine here also runs ~0% 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 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 #70 largest gas power plant of 130 in United Kingdom by capacity.

United Kingdom has 130 gas power plants in this dataset, together about 52,329 MW of capacity.

Nearby power plants

• Ryston Estate Solar Park · Solar · 4.8 MW · England
• Meadow Farm (Thorpe Lanton) · Solar · 5 MW · England
• Reaches Farm Solar Park · Solar · 6.1 MW · England
• May Farm Anaerobic Digester (Farm AD) · Biomass · 2.4 MW · England
• Toggam Farm · Solar · 12.5 MW · England
• Blackborough End Landfill Site · Waste · 1.5 MW · England

Location

Coordinates 52.55058, 0.44864 from WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0). View on OpenStreetMap.

Frequently asked questions