Wivenhoe Hydroelectric is a 500 MW hydro power station in Queensland, Australia. It is operated by CS Energy. Based on reported annual generation of 36 GWh, it can supply roughly 10k homes. It ranks #45 of 536 Australia power plants by installed capacity. As a non-combustion source, it has no direct CO₂ emissions from generation. In context, hydro supplies about 4.3% 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 AUS0000150.
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 570 MW for Wivenhoe hydroelectric plant, 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 · L100000600090; fuel: WRI GPPD
In context: how this plant compares
At 500 MW, Wivenhoe Hydroelectric is well above the median hydro plant in Australia (45 MW). Hydropower converts the energy of falling or flowing water into electricity; output depends on rainfall and reservoir level, and large dams also provide grid balancing and storage.
Capacity comparison computed from the WRI Global Power Plant Database; fuel-type context is general engineering background.
Key facts
- Load factor
- 1%, from 36 GWh of reported generation; the median for 50 hydro plants in Australia that report generation is 35%
- Generation trend
- 23 GWh in 2013 and 36 GWh in 2018 (+55%)
- Highest and lowest year
- 2016: 87 GWh; 2014: 14 GWh
- Share of Australia hydro capacity
- 5.6% of 8,878 MW across 73 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 CS Energy. All plants by this company →
Local climate & thermal context
This hydro plant converts the energy of falling or flowing water through hydro turbines. It sits in a humid subtropical climate (Köppen Cfa) — Southern Hemisphere, latitude 27.4°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 80% 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: 20/100 — 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 a corrosive environment (estimated ISO 9223 class C4 — High), 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 #5 largest hydro power plant of 73 in Australia by capacity.
Australia has 73 hydro power plants in this dataset, together about 8,878 MW of capacity.
Nearby power plants
- Wivenhoe · Hydro · 4.7 MW · Queensland
- Ti Tree Bioenergy · Waste · 3.3 MW · Queensland
- Swanbank E · Gas · 385 MW · Queensland
- Swanbank-A power station · Coal · 396 MW · Queensland
- Whitwood Road · Waste · 1 MW · Queensland
- Lockyer Energy power station · Gas · 120 MW · Queensland
Location
Coordinates -27.3722, 152.632 from WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0). View on OpenStreetMap.
Frequently asked questions
What type of power plant is Wivenhoe Hydroelectric?
Wivenhoe Hydroelectric is a 500 MW hydro power plant in Queensland, Australia.
How much electricity does Wivenhoe Hydroelectric generate?
Wivenhoe Hydroelectric generates about 36 GWh of electricity per year.
Who operates Wivenhoe Hydroelectric?
Wivenhoe Hydroelectric is operated by CS Energy.