Power

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Power is electrical energy that powers the operation of certain appliances, including workbenches, lights, temperature control devices, automated defenses, and more. Access to power is crucial to survival, especially in late game. The success of a colony often relies upon a fault-tolerant power grid with a reliable power flow that ensures that your appliances are working at all times, especially in emergencies.

Power generators

Chemfuel powered generator

Chemfuel powered generator.png

The chemfuel powered generator produces power from chemfuel. The generator is an exact analog to the wood-fired generator, only the type of fuel is different.

Wood-fired generator

Fueledgenerator.png

The wood-fired generator is identical to the chemfuel generator, except that it is fueled by wood and is slightly cheaper to construct. Requires no research for New Arrivals. Unlocked by researching Electricity for Tribal starts.

Geothermal generator

The geothermal generator is a power generator that can be built on top of a steam geyser to convert natural heat into electrical power, providing a constant 3,600W. Steam geysers are randomly generated per map, sometimes close to each other, others scattered towards the edges or center. Colonies are often seen built in their proximity from early days for future benefit. Requires researching Geothermal power

Solar generator

Solar generator.png

Unlocked by researching Solar power.

Wind turbine

Wind Power.png

Wind turbines generate a variable amount of power directly proportional to the wind speed. Requires no research for New Arrivals. Unlocked by researching Electricity for Tribal starts.

Watermill generator

Watermill generator.png

A watermill generator provides power from a moving river, providing a constant 1100W of power. It is relatively cheap and requires no upkeep, but is also fairly large and cannot be placed too closely to another without degrading performance. Requires research.

Ship reactor

ShipReactor.png

Although it is a ship part and not listed in the Power menu, the ship reactor is perfectly usable as a power generator. It provides 1000W of power, with no need for fuel or other maintenance; it does not generate any heat. It is normally only built as part of the space ship to win the game, and must be powered up to become operational for the ship, which triggers a 15-day long enemy invasion event. Requires research.

Vanometric power cell

Vanometric power cell.png

Similar to the ship reactor, the vanometric power cell provides a consistent 1000W of power at all times with no upkeep or restrictions. It has a small 1x2 footprint and can be moved freely. The catch is that these power cells are very rare; they cannot be manufactured or purchased, only received as a quest reward. With their comparatively low output, there is no reliable way to acquire enough to satisfy more than a small fraction of a normal colony's power budget, but they are a convenient way of powering high-priority or off-grid equipment.

Unstable power cell

Unstablepc.png

Effectively a smaller, less powerful and significantly more explosive vanometric power cell from the Royalty DLC. It can only be captured from Mechanoid clusters. It provides 400W with no need for fuel, in 1x1 footprint that can be moved around freely. While more common than the vanometric power cell, its fragility and explosive tendencies can make it hard to capture from clusters and care must be taken to shield it from damage when in use. It also only produces a relatively small amount of power, so like the vanometric power cell, it is most useful for off-grid or high priority items rather than supplementing the main power grid.

Power generator summary

Type Cost Size Base Output
(Watts)
Variable
Output
Day Night Placement
Solar generator Steel 100 + Component 3 4 × 4 1,700 Check.png Check.png Ex.png In sunlight
Wind turbine Steel 100 + Component 2 7 × 2 2,300 Check.png Check.png Check.png In open ground
Watermill generator Wood 280 + Steel 80 + Component 3 5 × 6 1,100 Ex.png Check.png Check.png On riverbanks
Chemfuel powered generator Steel 100 + Component 3 2 × 2 1,000 Ex.png Check.png Check.png Anywhere
Wood-fired generator Steel 100 + Component 2 2 × 2 1,000 Ex.png Check.png Check.png Anywhere
Geothermal generator Steel 340 + Component 8 6 × 6 3,600 Ex.png Check.png Check.png On geysers
Ship reactor Steel 350 + Plasteel 280 + Uranium 70 + Advanced component 8 6 × 7 1,000 Ex.png Check.png Check.png Outside
(can roof over afterwards)
Vanometric power cell N/A 1 × 2 1,000 Ex.png Check.png Check.png Anywhere
Unstable power cellContent added by the Royalty DLC N/A 1 × 1 400 Ex.png Check.png Check.png Anywhere

Power transfers

Power conduit

PowerConduit MenuIcon.png

A power conduit transmits power from generators or batteries to appliances up to six squares away. Conduit doesn't block the placement of other structures and isn't blocked by them, so conduit can be placed wherever it's needed, even in walls, except unsmoothed mountain rocks and ores.

Waterproof conduit

Power conduit.png

A Waterproof conduit transmits power from generators or batteries to appliances up to six squares away. Waterproof Conduit can only be built on water.

(note: the image for the waterproof conduit is actually an image of the power conduit, RimWorld Wiki is currently lacking an image for the conduit. The conduit is actually tinted blue.)

Power switch

PowerSwitch.png

Power storage

Batteries

Battery.jpg

Appliances

Appliances are structures or buildings that require power but don't transmit it. Most appliances can connect automatically if placed up to six squares away from a conduit, generator or battery. When connected to the power grid, it can take a few moments before an appliance turns on.


Managing appliances

Reconnect: Click to force an appliance to reconnect to a conduit line or power source. This can also be used to change which power source an appliance is connected to if there is more than one in range.
Designate toggle power: Click to mark an appliance to be turned on () or off (X) by a colonist set to flick.


Reconnect
Reconnect
Toggle ON Toggle OFF
Designate toggle power



Appliances summary

Appliance Power
consumption (in Watts)
Autodoor 50
Electric tailor bench 120
Electric smithy 210
Machining table 350
Electric smelter 700
Electric crematorium 250
Hi-tech research bench 250
Multi-analyzer 200
Fabrication bench 250
Nutrient paste dispenser 200
Standing lamp 75
Sun lamp 2900 during day only
Hydroponics basin 70
Biofuel refinery 170
Infinite chemreactor 300
Vitals monitor 80
Comms console 200
Ground-penetrating scanner 700
Long-range mineral scanner 700
Electric stove 350
Heater 175
Cooler 200
Mini-turret 80
Tube television 200
Flatscreen television 330
Megascreen television 450

Version history

  • 0.0.245 - Electrical devices now short-circuit and cause fires if left out in the rain while running.