144th largest plant in California · 1742nd nationally
Don Pedro is a hydroelectric power plant in California with a nameplate capacity of 171 MW. It generates roughly 538.3k MWh per year — enough to power about 51,262 average U.S. homes.
Its capacity factor of 36% reflects intermittent or peaking operation.
| Plant Name | Don Pedro |
|---|---|
| Operator | Turlock Irrigation District |
| City | La Grange |
| County | Tuolumne County |
| State | California |
| ZIP | 95329 |
| Coordinates | 37.69599, -120.42015 |
This plant highlighted in navy-ringed pin; other generators within 25 miles shown as fuel-colored dots.
| ID | Technology | Fuel | Capacity | Status | Online |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Conventional Hydroelectric | Water | 45.5 MW | Operating | 1971 |
| 2 | Conventional Hydroelectric | Water | 45.5 MW | Operating | 1971 |
| 3 | Conventional Hydroelectric | Water | 45.5 MW | Operating | 1971 |
| 4 | Conventional Hydroelectric | Water | 34.3 MW | Operating | 1989 |
| Owner | Location | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Turlock Irrigation District | Turlock, CA | 6846.0% |
| Modesto Irrigation District | Modesto, CA | 3154.0% |
Ownership reported to EIA Form 860. Percentages reflect reported generator-level ownership share, averaged when a plant has multiple generators.
| NERC Region | WECC |
|---|---|
| Balancing Authority | Turlock Irrigation District |
Hydroelectric plants spin turbines using falling or flowing water — typically from a dam-impounded reservoir. They are dispatchable, long-lived, and emission-free at the point of generation, though large reservoirs can disrupt rivers and ecosystems and methane can be released from flooded vegetation.