605th largest plant in California · 4596th nationally
Gates Solar Station is a solar power plant in California with a nameplate capacity of 20.0 MW. It generates roughly 37.5k MWh per year — enough to power about 3,573 average U.S. homes.
Its capacity factor of 21% reflects intermittent or peaking operation.
| Plant Name | Gates Solar Station |
|---|---|
| Operator | Pacific Gas & Electric Co. |
| City | Huron |
| County | Fresno County |
| State | California |
| ZIP | 93234 |
| Coordinates | 36.17639, -120.11417 |
This plant highlighted in navy-ringed pin; other generators within 25 miles shown as fuel-colored dots.
| ID | Technology | Fuel | Capacity | Status | Online |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Solar Photovoltaic | Solar | 20.0 MW | Operating | 2013 |
| NERC Region | WECC |
|---|---|
| Balancing Authority | California Independent System Operator |
Utility-scale solar farms convert sunlight directly into electricity using photovoltaic panels. They produce zero direct emissions and have no fuel cost, but generation is variable — peaking at midday and falling to zero at night. Capacity factors typically run 18–28% in good locations.