156th largest plant in California · 1804th nationally
Jaybird is a hydroelectric power plant in California with a nameplate capacity of 162 MW. It generates roughly 671.0k MWh per year — enough to power about 63,902 average U.S. homes.
Its capacity factor of 47% puts it in the middle range — running steadily but not full-time.
| Plant Name | Jaybird |
|---|---|
| Operator | Sacramento Municipal Util Dist |
| City | Camino |
| County | El Dorado County |
| State | California |
| ZIP | 95725 |
| Coordinates | 38.83405, -120.53176 |
This plant highlighted in navy-ringed pin; other generators within 25 miles shown as fuel-colored dots.
| ID | Technology | Fuel | Capacity | Status | Online |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| H1 | Conventional Hydroelectric | Water | 80.8 MW | Operating | 1961 |
| H2 | Conventional Hydroelectric | Water | 80.8 MW | Operating | 1962 |
| NERC Region | WECC |
|---|---|
| Balancing Authority | Balancing Authority Of Northern California |
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.