North Branch (Mn)

🛢 OilElectric Utility11 MW capacity

130th largest plant in Minnesota · 5526th nationally

North Branch (Mn) is a oil power plant in Minnesota with a nameplate capacity of 11.0 MW. It generates roughly 257 MWh per year — enough to power about 24 average U.S. homes.

Its capacity factor of 0% reflects intermittent or peaking operation. At 1470 lb CO₂/MWh, its emission rate sits above the national grid average of roughly 800 lb/MWh.

PeakingMid-meritBaseload0%40%80%100%0%
Peaking — intermittent or backup
Capacity11 MWnameplate
Annual Generation257 MWhEPA eGRID
Capacity Factor0%of theoretical max
Annual CO₂189metric tons

Location

Plant NameNorth Branch (Mn)
OperatorNorth Branch Water & Light Comm
CityNorth Branch
CountyChisago County
StateMinnesota
ZIP55056
Coordinates45.51060, -92.97904

This plant highlighted in navy-ringed pin; other generators within 25 miles shown as fuel-colored dots.

OilSolar

Generators (7)

IDTechnologyFuelCapacityStatusOnline
3Petroleum LiquidsDistillate Oil2.2 MWOperating2003
4Petroleum LiquidsDistillate Oil2.2 MWOperating2003
5Petroleum LiquidsDistillate Oil2.2 MWOperating2011
6Petroleum LiquidsDistillate Oil2.2 MWOperating2011
7Petroleum LiquidsDistillate Oil2.2 MWOperating2011
2Petroleum LiquidsDistillate Oil1.4 MWRetired1971
1Petroleum LiquidsDistillate Oil0.9 MWRetired1960

Emissions (annual)

CO₂189 metric tons
NOₓ4 metric tons
CO₂ Rate1470 lb/MWh
U.S. grid average800 lb/MWhNatural gas combined-cycle average900 lb/MWhThis plant1,469 lb/MWhCoal plant average2,100 lb/MWh

Annual totals and CO₂ rate reported by EPA eGRID for 2023. Reference averages are approximate U.S.-wide figures from the same dataset.

Grid context

NERC RegionMRO
Balancing AuthorityMidcontinent Independent Transmission System Operator, Inc..

About Oil plants

Oil-fired plants typically run only during peak demand or grid emergencies because oil is expensive compared to gas and coal. They have the highest CO₂ emissions per MWh of any common generation technology.

Other plants in Chisago County

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