Orca

🛢 OilElectric Utility12 MW capacity

49th largest plant in Alaska · 5393rd nationally

Orca is a oil power plant in Alaska with a nameplate capacity of 12.2 MW. It generates roughly 6.3k MWh per year — enough to power about 599 average U.S. homes.

Its capacity factor of 6% reflects intermittent or peaking operation. At 2508 lb CO₂/MWh, its emission rate sits above the national grid average of roughly 800 lb/MWh.

PeakingMid-meritBaseload0%40%80%100%6%
Peaking — intermittent or backup
Capacity12 MWnameplate
Annual Generation6.3k MWhEPA eGRID
Capacity Factor6%of theoretical max
Annual CO₂7.9kmetric tons

Location

Plant NameOrca
OperatorCordova Electric Coop, Inc
CityCordova
CountyValdez Cordova County
StateAlaska
ZIP99574
Coordinates60.55589, -145.75298

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

OilHydroelectric

Generators (8)

IDTechnologyFuelCapacityStatusOnline
7Petroleum LiquidsDistillate Oil3.6 MWOperating2009
3Petroleum LiquidsDistillate Oil2.5 MWOperating1984
4Petroleum LiquidsDistillate Oil2.4 MWRetired1984
1Petroleum LiquidsDistillate Oil1.5 MWCancelled
2Petroleum LiquidsDistillate Oil1.5 MWCancelled
6APetroleum LiquidsDistillate Oil1.5 MWOperating2023
5Petroleum LiquidsDistillate Oil1.1 MWOut of Service2000
6Petroleum LiquidsDistillate Oil1.1 MWRetired2000

Emissions (annual)

CO₂7.9k metric tons
SO₂14 metric tons
NOₓ155 metric tons
CO₂ Rate2508 lb/MWh
U.S. grid average800 lb/MWhNatural gas combined-cycle average900 lb/MWhCoal plant average2,100 lb/MWhThis plant2,507 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.

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 Valdez Cordova County

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