Actual cost efficiency of power plants in SimCity 3000

Contributor/author(s): Trevor B.

Most people do not consider the MWh a power plant produces over its lifetime when considering the cost efficiency of a power plant. Just the initial cost to capacity is considered. However, if you also factor in the lifetime MWh of a plant, this gives you a more accurate idea of how well a power plant performs versus cost. Below is the lifetime MWh of each type of power plant produced per dollar.

Type          Life MWh/$
------------ ----------
Coal         84
Oil          56.65
Gas          53.33
Nuclear      48
Wind*        96
Solar        33.33
Microwave    37.33
Fusion       60
Waste-Energy 14

*This is at full capacity. It usually would be a bit lower, like in the 80's or 70's.

See also
Power plant output and costs
Complete examination of power sources
Clean power plants: which is best?