World Power Plants

Covanta Fairfax Energy124 MW Waste

WasteVerified: Jul 2026

Covanta Fairfax Energy is a 124 MW waste-to-energy power plant located in the United States. Operated by Covanta Fairfax Inc, it has been in operation since 1990. The plant converts municipal solid waste into electricity, also utilizing gas as a secondary fuel. It ranks as the 4th largest waste plant in the United States, representing 1.27% of the country's total waste capacity of 9,768 MW. The U.S. has a total of 541 waste plants with a combined capacity of 1,386,385 MW. Compared to the largest waste plant, Covington Facility at 161 MW, Covanta Fairfax Energy is about 77% the size. Waste-to-energy facilities are increasingly important in the U.S. for managing waste and generating energy. They contribute to reducing landfill use and provide a renewable energy source. Covanta Fairfax Energy is located in Virginia, approximately 30 km from Washington, D.C.

Capacity
124 MW
Commissioning Year
1990

36 years old

Owner
Covanta Fairfax Inc
Location
38.6950°, -77.2411°

United States of America, North America

Context & rankings
  • 1,902. largest of 10,098 plants in United States of America
  • #9,153 worldwide by installed capacity
  • #4 of 1,065 Waste plants worldwide
  • 0.01% of the installed capacity of United States of America
Age & fleet comparison

36 years in operation

Waste fleet average: 23.1 years

Operator portfolio

Covanta Fairfax Inc operates 1 plants totalling 124 MW

Regional density

99 plants within 100 km, 28,059 MW combined

Nearest plant: I 95 Landfill Phase II (0.7 km)

Location

Coordinates:: 38.695000, -77.241100
Open in Google Maps
Carbon Footprint330 g CO₂/kWh
Annual CO₂
250.9 Kt
760 GWh/year × 330 g/kWh
Cumulative CO₂
9.03 Mt
Over 36 years of operation
Past Retirement
2015
11 years past expected retirement
Annual emissions equivalent to
54.5K
cars per year
33.5K
homes per year
11.4M
trees to offset

Estimates based on Waste emission factor (330 g CO₂/kWh) and capacity factor (70%). Actual emissions may vary based on operating conditions, efficiency, and fuel quality.

Technical Details

Primary Fuel Type
Waste
Energy Source
Non-Renewable
Country
United States of America
Continent
North America
Data Source
Global Power Plant Database

United States of AmericaEnergy Profile

10,098
Total Plants
1420.7 GW
Total Capacity
GasCoalNuclearWind
Top Fuels

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