57th largest plant in Idaho · 4596th nationally
Orchard Ranch Solar is a solar power plant in Idaho with a nameplate capacity of 20.0 MW. It generates roughly 45.0k MWh per year — enough to power about 4,290 average U.S. homes.
Its capacity factor of 26% reflects intermittent or peaking operation.
| Plant Name | Orchard Ranch Solar |
|---|---|
| Operator | Orchard Ranch Solar, Llc |
| City | Orchard |
| County | Ada County |
| State | Idaho |
| ZIP | 83650 |
| Coordinates | 43.46700, -116.28500 |
This plant highlighted in navy-ringed pin; other generators within 25 miles shown as fuel-colored dots.
| ID | Technology | Fuel | Capacity | Status | Online |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| IPOR | Solar Photovoltaic | Solar | 20.0 MW | Operating | 2017 |
| NERC Region | WECC |
|---|---|
| Balancing Authority | Idaho Power Company |
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.