49th largest plant in Arizona · 1882nd nationally
Mesquite Solar 3, Llc is a solar power plant in Arizona with a nameplate capacity of 150 MW. It generates roughly 461.6k MWh per year — enough to power about 43,963 average U.S. homes.
Its capacity factor of 35% reflects intermittent or peaking operation.
| Plant Name | Mesquite Solar 3, Llc |
|---|---|
| Operator | Consolidated Edison Development Inc. |
| City | Tonopah |
| County | Maricopa County |
| State | Arizona |
| ZIP | 85354 |
| Coordinates | 33.34758, -112.93681 |
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 | 150 MW | Operating | 2016 |
| 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.