YANBU (ARAM) — Saudi Arabia

YANBU (ARAM) is a 82.5 MW gas power plant in Al Madinah al Munawwarah, Saudi Arabia. It is operated by Saudi Aramco. Based on its capacity (estimated), it can supply roughly 93k homes (estimated). It ranks #134 of 156 Saudi Arabia power plants by installed capacity. Commissioned in 2005, it is around 21 years old — relatively modern. In context, gas supplies about 63.3% of Saudi Arabia's electricity; the national grid averages 692 gCO₂/kWh (2.2% low-carbon) (2024).

Plant data: WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0), id WRI1030721.

Capacity provenance

The public capacity above is the current source-record value. A 2026 tracker candidate lists 3,135 MW for Yanbu 3 power 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 · L100000408049; fuel: WRI GPPD

In context: how this plant compares

At 82.5 MW, YANBU (ARAM) is below the median gas plant in Saudi Arabia (496.7 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

Share of Saudi Arabia gas capacity

less than 0.1% of 89,013 MW across 71 plants in this dataset

Age among peers

18 of 60 dated gas plants in Saudi Arabia 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 Saudi Arabia

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

Owner

Operated by Saudi Aramco. All plants by this company →

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 hot desert climate (Köppen BWh) — Northern Hemisphere, latitude 24.0°N — 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 #68 largest gas power plant of 71 in Saudi Arabia by capacity.

Saudi Arabia has 71 gas power plants in this dataset, together about 89,013 MW of capacity.

Nearby power plants

• YANBU PLANT · Oil · 865.8 MW · Al Madinah al Munawwarah
• Yanbu 2 power plant · Gas · 825 MW · Al Madinah al Munawwarah
• YANBU PLANT 2 · Oil · 825 MW · Al Madinah al Munawwarah
• YANBU (SWCC) · Oil · 519.8 MW · Al Madinah al Munawwarah
• YANBU (SEC) · Oil · 54.3 MW · Al Madinah al Munawwarah
• Yanbu Cement power plant · Oil · 152.1 MW · Al Madinah al Munawwarah

Location

Coordinates 23.98, 38.257 from WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0). View on OpenStreetMap.

Frequently asked questions