This article lists the largest power stations in the world, the ten overall and the five of each type, in terms of installed electrical capacity. Non-renewable power stations are those that run on coal, fuel oils, nuclear fuel, natural gas, oil shale and peat, while renewable power stations run on fuel sources such as biomass, geothermal heat, hydro, solar energy, solar heat, tides and the wind. Only the most significant fuel source is listed for power stations that run on multiple sources. As of 2021, the largest power generating facility ever built is the Three Gorges Dam in China. The facility generates power by utilizing 32 Francis turbines each having a capacity of 700 MW and two 50 MW turbines, totalling the installed capacity to 22,500 MW, more than twice the installed capacity of the largest nuclear power station, the Kashiwazaki-Kariwa (Japan) at 7,965 MW. As of 2019, no power station comparable to Three Gorges is under construction, as the largest under construction power station is the hydroelectric Baihetan Dam (16,000 MW). The proposed 20,000 MW Australia's Darwin Solar Park, for the Australia-Asia Power Link, would be slightly below the capacity of the Three Gorges Dam. The proposed Grand Inga Dam in the Democratic Republic of the Congo would surpass all existing power stations, including the Three Gorges Dam, if construction commences as planned. The design targets to top 39,000 MW in installed capacity, nearly twice that of the Three Gorges. Another proposal, Penzhin Tidal Power Plant Project, presumes an installed capacity up to 87,100 MW.

Top 20 largest power producing facilities

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Timeline of the largest power plants in the world

At any point in time since the early 20th century, the largest power station in the world has been a hydroelectric power plant.

Non-renewable power stations

Coal

Fuel oil

Natural gas

Nuclear

Oil shale

Peat

Renewable power stations

Biomass

Geothermal

Hydroelectric

Conventional

Run-of-the-river

Tide

Solar power

Photovoltaic

Concentrated solar thermal

Wind

Onshore

Offshore

Storage power stations

Pumped-storage

Battery storage

Molten-salt

List of largest power station and unit within each country

The following table lists the largest operating power station, and the largest single generating unit within each country.