354th largest plant in Minnesota · 9890th nationally
Knife Falls is a hydroelectric power plant in Minnesota with a nameplate capacity of 2.4 MW. It generates roughly 9.2k MWh per year — enough to power about 874 average U.S. homes.
Its capacity factor of 44% puts it in the middle range — running steadily but not full-time.
| Plant Name | Knife Falls |
|---|---|
| Operator | Allete, Inc. |
| City | Cloquet |
| County | Carlton County |
| State | Minnesota |
| ZIP | 55720 |
| Coordinates | 46.72663, -92.44862 |
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 | 0.8 MW | Operating | 1922 |
| 2 | Conventional Hydroelectric | Water | 0.8 MW | Operating | 1922 |
| 3 | Conventional Hydroelectric | Water | 0.8 MW | Operating | 1922 |
| NERC Region | MRO |
|---|---|
| Balancing Authority | Midcontinent Independent Transmission System Operator, Inc.. |
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.