1048th largest plant in California · 8228th nationally
Nacimiento Hydro Project is a hydroelectric power plant in California with a nameplate capacity of 4.4 MW. It generates roughly 18.6k MWh per year — enough to power about 1,771 average U.S. homes.
Its capacity factor of 48% puts it in the middle range — running steadily but not full-time.
| Plant Name | Nacimiento Hydro Project |
|---|---|
| Operator | Monterey Cnty Water Res Agency |
| City | Bradley |
| County | San Luis Obispo County |
| State | California |
| ZIP | 93426 |
| Coordinates | 35.79858, -120.88333 |
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 | 4.0 MW | Operating | 1987 |
| 2 | Conventional Hydroelectric | Water | 0.4 MW | Operating | 1987 |
| NERC Region | WECC |
|---|---|
| Balancing Authority | California Independent System Operator |
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.