The following page lists the largest power plants in the world in terms of current installed electrical capacity. Non-renewable power plants are those that run on coal, fuel oils and natural gas, while renewable power plants run on fuel sources such as biomass, geothermal heat, hydro, solar energy, solar heat, tides, waves and the wind. Only the most significant fuel source are listed for power stations that run on multiple sources.

At present, the largest power generating facility ever built is the Three Gorges Dam in China. The facility generates power by utilizing 32 turbines, each with a capacity of 700 MW. This totals the installed capacity to 22,500 MW, more than twice the installed capacity of the largest nuclear power station, the Kashiwazaki-Kariwa Nuclear Power Plant at 8,212 MW.

Although currently only a proposal, the Grand Inga Dam in Congo would surpass all existing power stations, including the Three Gorges Dam, if construction commences as planned in 2014. The design targets to top 39,000 MW in installed capacity, nearly twice that of the Three Gorges. This is nearly sufficient to meet the entire power demand of the African continent.

Non-renewable power plants

Largest Coal Power Plants

Rank Station Country Capacity (MW)
1 Taichung Power Plant Taiwan 5,780
2A Guodian Beilun Power Station China 5,000
2A Waigaoqiao Power Station China 5,000
4 Bełchatów Power Station Poland 4,440
5 Zouxian Power Station China 4,400

Largest Fuel oil Power Plants

Rank Station Country Capacity (MW)
1 Surgut-2 Power Station Russia 4,800
2 Kashima Power Station Japan 4,400
3 Surgut-1 Power Station Russia 3,280
4 Hirono Power Station Japan 3,200
5 Ryazan Power Station Russia 2,800

Largest Natural gas Power Plant

Rank Station Country Capacity (MW)
1 Kawagoe Power Station Japan 4,802
2 Chita Power Station Japan 3,966
3B Kostromskaya Power Station Russia 3,600
3B Sodegaura Power Station Japan 3,600
5 Futtsu Power Station Japan 3,520

Largest Nuclear Power Plants

Rank Station Country Capacity (MW)
1 Kashiwazaki-Kariwa Nuclear Power Plant Japan 8,212
2 Bruce Nuclear Generating Station Canada 7,276
3 Ulchin Nuclear Power Plant South Korea 5,881
4 Yeonggwang Nuclear Power Station South Korea 5,875
5 Gravelines Nuclear Power Station France 5,706

Largest Peat Power Plants

Rank Station Country Capacity (MW)
1 Shatura Power Station Russia 1,020
2 Kirov Power Station Russia 300
3 Toppila Power Station Finland 190
4 West Offaly Power Station Republic of Ireland 150
5 Lough Ree Power Station Republic of Ireland 100


Renewable power stations

Largest Biomass Power Plants

Rank Station Country Capacity (MW)
1 Alholmens Kraft Power Station Finland 265
2 Rumford Cogen Power Station United States 102
3 Pécs Power Station Hungary 65
4 Delano Power Station United States 57
5 Stevens Croft Power Station Scotland 52

Largest Geothermal Power Plants

Rank Station Country Capacity (MW)
1 Cerro Prieto Geothermal Power Station Mexico 720
2 Hellisheidi Power Station Iceland 300
3 Wayang Windu Geothermal Power Station Indonesia 227
4 Wairakei Power Station New Zealand 181
5 Reykjanes Power Station Iceland 150

Largest Hydroelectric Power Plants

Rank Station Country Capacity (MW)
1 Three Gorges Dam China 22,500
2 Itaipu Dam Brazil - Paraguay 14,000
3 Guri Dam Venezuela 10,200
4 Tucurui Dam Brazil 8,370
5 Grand Coulee Dam United States 6,809

Largest Photovoltaic Power Plants

Rank Station Country Capacity (MW)
1 Olmedilla Photovoltaic Park Spain 60
2 Strasskirchen Solar Park Germany 54
3 Lieberose Photovoltaic Park Germany 53
4 Puertollano Photovoltaic Park Spain 50
5 Moura Photovoltaic Power Station Portugal 42

Largest Solar thermal Power Plants

Rank Station Country Capacity (MW)
1 Andasol Solar Power Station Spain 100
2C SEGS VIII United States 80
2C SEGS IX United States 80
4 Nevada Solar One United States 64
5 Alvarado I Spain 50

Largest Tidal Power Plants

Rank Station Country Capacity (MW)
1 Rance Tidal Power Station France 240
2 Annapolis Royal Generating Station Canada 20
3 Jiangxia Tidal Power Station China 3.9
4 Kislaya Guba Tidal Power Station Russia 1.7
N/AD

Largest Wave Power Plant

Rank Station Country Capacity (MW)
1 Agucadoura Wave Farm Portugal 2.25
2 Islay Limpet United Kingdom 0.5

Largest Wind Power Plants

Rank Station Country Capacity (MW)
1 Roscoe Wind Farm United States 782
2 Horse Hollow Wind Energy Center United States 736
3 Tehachapi Pass Wind Farm United States 705
4 Capricorn Ridge Wind Farm United States 663
5 San Gorgonio Pass Wind Farm United States 615