74th largest plant in Wisconsin · 4088th nationally
Prairie Du Sac is a hydroelectric power plant in Wisconsin with a nameplate capacity of 33.4 MW. It generates roughly 131.0k MWh per year — enough to power about 12,478 average U.S. homes.
Its capacity factor of 45% puts it in the middle range — running steadily but not full-time.
| Plant Name | Prairie Du Sac |
|---|---|
| Operator | Wisconsin Power & Light Co |
| City | Prairie Du Sac |
| County | Sauk County |
| State | Wisconsin |
| ZIP | 53578 |
| Coordinates | 43.30993, -89.72778 |
This plant highlighted in navy-ringed pin; other generators within 25 miles shown as fuel-colored dots.
| ID | Technology | Fuel | Capacity | Status | Online |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | Conventional Hydroelectric | Water | 4.8 MW | Operating | 1920 |
| 4 | Conventional Hydroelectric | Water | 4.8 MW | Operating | 1922 |
| 2 | Conventional Hydroelectric | Water | 4.3 MW | Operating | 1915 |
| 5 | Conventional Hydroelectric | Water | 4.0 MW | Operating | 1938 |
| 6 | Conventional Hydroelectric | Water | 4.0 MW | Operating | 1938 |
| 7 | Conventional Hydroelectric | Water | 4.0 MW | Operating | 1940 |
| 8 | Conventional Hydroelectric | Water | 4.0 MW | Operating | 1940 |
| 1 | Conventional Hydroelectric | Water | 3.5 MW | Operating | 1915 |
| NERC Region | MRO |
|---|---|
| Balancing Authority | Midcontinent Independent Transmission System Operator, Inc.. |
Hydroelectric plants spin turbines using falling or flowing water — typically from a dam-impounded reservoir. They are dispatchable, long-lived, and emission-free at the point of generation, though large reservoirs can disrupt rivers and ecosystems and methane can be released from flooded vegetation.