Understanding Facilities
Network Structure
An electricity network consists of:- Multiple facilities distributed across regions
- Different fuel technologies powering generation
- Various operational statuses (operating, commissioning, retired, etc.)
- Geographic distribution across states and territories
Facility Composition
A single facility is made up of multiple generation units. Each unit:- Has a specific fuel technology type
- Operates independently within the facility
- Can have different capacities and characteristics
- Solar + battery storage combinations
- Coal plants with diesel backup generators
- Wind farms with battery integration
Exploring Facilities
Visit the Open Electricity facilities explorer to browse all Australian electricity generation facilities.
- Browse all facilities — View a comprehensive list of over 500 tracked facilities
- Filter by fuel technology — Select specific technologies like wind, solar, or coal
- Filter by operating status — Show only operating, retired, or commissioning facilities
- Interactive map view — See geographic distribution of generation assets
- Capacity information — View registered capacity for each facility
- Technology mix — Quickly identify the fuel technology for each facility
- Regional distribution — Understand generation capacity by state and region
Individual Facility Details
Each facility has a dedicated page with comprehensive information. For example, the Golden Plains Wind Farm:
- Real-time generation — Live power output graph showing generation patterns over time
- Facility description — Detailed information about the project and location
- Interactive maps — Both regional overview and satellite imagery of the actual facility
- Unit breakdown — Individual generation units with their specifications
- Performance metrics:
- Registered capacity (MW) for each unit
- Current power output (MW)
- Capacity factor (%) showing utilisation
- Time range controls — View generation data over different periods (1D, 3D, 7D, 30D, 1Y, ALL)
- Data intervals — Adjust granularity from 5-minute to monthly intervals
Facility Data Fields
Facility Fields
| Field | Data Type | Description |
|---|---|---|
code | string | Unique facility identifier (e.g., GPWFEST) |
name | string | Display name of the facility |
network_id | string | Network the facility operates in (NEM or WEM) |
network_region | string | Network region code (e.g., VIC1, NSW1) |
description | string/HTML | Detailed facility description |
location | object | Geographic coordinates (lat/lng) |
npi_id | string | National Pollutant Inventory identifier |
units | array | List of generation units within the facility |
Unit Fields
| Field | Data Type | Description |
|---|---|---|
code | string | Unique unit identifier (e.g., GPWFEST1) |
fueltech_id | string | Fuel technology type (e.g., wind, solar_utility) |
status_id | string | Current operational status |
capacity_registered | number | Registered generation capacity in MW |
capacity_maximum | number | Maximum achievable capacity in MW |
capacity_storage | number | Storage capacity for battery units in MWh |
emissions_factor_co2 | number | CO2 emissions factor (tonnes per MWh) |
dispatch_type | string | Unit dispatch type (GENERATOR, LOAD, BIDIRECTIONAL) |
data_first_seen | datetime | First time unit generation data appeared |
data_last_seen | datetime | Most recent data point for unit generation data |
commencement_date | datetime | When the unit commenced operation |
commencement_date_serialized | string | Human-readable commencement date |
closure_date | datetime | When the unit was closed |
closure_date_serialized | string | Human-readable closure date |
expected_operation_date | datetime | Expected date to begin operation |
expected_operation_date_serialized | string | Human-readable expected operation date |
expected_closure_date | datetime | Expected closure date |
expected_closure_date_serialized | string | Human-readable expected closure date |
construction_start_date | datetime | When construction began |
construction_start_date_serialized | string | Human-readable construction start date |
project_approval_date | datetime | When the project was approved |
project_approval_date_serialized | string | Human-readable approval date |
project_lodgement_date | datetime | When the project was lodged |
created_at | datetime | When the unit record was created |
updated_at | datetime | Last modification time |
Status Types
Generation units are tracked through various operational states:- Operating — Currently generating electricity
- Commissioning — Being tested and prepared for operation
- Committed — Approved and contracted but not yet operating
- Retired — Permanently closed and no longer generating
API Access
Facilities data is available through the Open Electricity API. The facilities endpoint provides programmatic access to all facility and unit information shown on the website. For detailed API documentation and examples, see the Facilities API Reference.Example API Response
Here’s an example of facility data returned from the API:Next Steps
Explore more about facilities, their technologies, and how to access their data programmatically.Interactive Facilities Map
Explore the interactive facilities map to browse all Australian electricity generation facilities
Fuel Technologies
Learn about different fuel technologies used in electricity generation
Facilities API
Access facility data programmatically via the OpenElectricity API
Power Data
View real-time power data and understand power output patterns