442nd largest plant in Minnesota · 12726th nationally
Prairie River is a hydroelectric power plant in Minnesota with a nameplate capacity of 1.0 MW. It generates roughly 1.6k MWh per year — enough to power about 153 average U.S. homes.
Its capacity factor of 18% reflects intermittent or peaking operation.
| Plant Name | Prairie River |
|---|---|
| Operator | Allete, Inc. |
| City | Grand Rapids |
| County | Itasca County |
| State | Minnesota |
| ZIP | 55744 |
| Coordinates | 47.28721, -93.49827 |
This plant highlighted in navy-ringed pin; other generators within 25 miles shown as fuel-colored dots.
| ID | Technology | Fuel | Capacity | Status | Online |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Conventional Hydroelectric | Water | 0.7 MW | Operating | 1920 |
| 2 | Conventional Hydroelectric | Water | 0.3 MW | Operating | 1920 |
| 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.