796th largest plant in California · 5522nd nationally
Naval Air Weapons Station China Lake is a solar power plant in California with a nameplate capacity of 11.1 MW. It generates roughly 23.3k MWh per year — enough to power about 2,219 average U.S. homes.
Its capacity factor of 24% reflects intermittent or peaking operation.
| Plant Name | Naval Air Weapons Station China Lake |
|---|---|
| Operator | Mn8 Energy Llc |
| City | Ridgecrest |
| County | Kern County |
| State | California |
| ZIP | 93555 |
| Coordinates | 35.68771, -117.68137 |
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 | 11.1 MW | Operating | 2012 |
| Owner | Location | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Metlife Capital Credit L.p. | Morristown, NJ | 10000.0% |
Ownership reported to EIA Form 860. Percentages reflect reported generator-level ownership share, averaged when a plant has multiple generators.
| 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.