7th largest plant in Washington · 339th nationally
Priest Rapids is a hydroelectric power plant in Washington with a nameplate capacity of 950 MW. It generates roughly 3.8M MWh per year — enough to power about 365,937 average U.S. homes.
Its capacity factor of 46% puts it in the middle range — running steadily but not full-time.
| Plant Name | Priest Rapids |
|---|---|
| Operator | Pud No 2 Of Grant County |
| City | Mattawa |
| County | Grant County |
| State | Washington |
| ZIP | 99349 |
| Coordinates | 46.64510, -119.90800 |
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 | 95.0 MW | Operating | 1961 |
| 10 | Conventional Hydroelectric | Water | 95.0 MW | Operating | 1959 |
| 2 | Conventional Hydroelectric | Water | 95.0 MW | Operating | 1961 |
| 3 | Conventional Hydroelectric | Water | 95.0 MW | Operating | 1960 |
| 4 | Conventional Hydroelectric | Water | 95.0 MW | Operating | 1960 |
| 5 | Conventional Hydroelectric | Water | 95.0 MW | Operating | 1960 |
| 6 | Conventional Hydroelectric | Water | 95.0 MW | Operating | 1960 |
| 7 | Conventional Hydroelectric | Water | 95.0 MW | Operating | 1960 |
| 8 | Conventional Hydroelectric | Water | 95.0 MW | Operating | 1959 |
| 9 | Conventional Hydroelectric | Water | 95.0 MW | Operating | 1959 |
| NERC Region | WECC |
|---|---|
| Balancing Authority | Bonneville Power Administration |
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.