The Gladstone Coal Power Plant is the largest coal power plant in Queensland, with six coal powered steam turbines generating a maximum of 1,680 MW of electricity. Power from the station was first generated in 1976.

The Gladstone Coal Power Plant was privatized in 1994. It is currently owned by a group, including Rio Tinto Aluminium, NRG Energy and other Japanese partners.

This fossil fuel power plant draws seawater for cooling. Black coal is brought by rail from the Curragh mine, 200 km west of Rockhampton.

Carbon Monitoring for Action estimates this power station emits 11.80 million tonnes of greenhouse gases each year as a result of burning coal.