349th largest plant in California · 3312th nationally
North Star Solar is a solar power plant in California with a nameplate capacity of 61.6 MW. It generates roughly 135.9k MWh per year — enough to power about 12,940 average U.S. homes.
Its capacity factor of 25% reflects intermittent or peaking operation.
| Plant Name | North Star Solar |
|---|---|
| Operator | Southern Power Co |
| City | Mendota |
| County | Fresno County |
| State | California |
| ZIP | 93640 |
| Coordinates | 36.73000, -120.41000 |
This plant highlighted in navy-ringed pin; other generators within 25 miles shown as fuel-colored dots.
| ID | Technology | Fuel | Capacity | Status | Online |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NSTR | Solar Photovoltaic | Solar | 61.6 MW | Operating | 2015 |
| Owner | Location | Share |
|---|---|---|
| North Star Solar, Llc | Atlanta, GA | 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.