83rd largest plant in Alaska · 8622nd nationally
Purple Lake is a hydroelectric power plant in Alaska with a nameplate capacity of 3.9 MW. It generates roughly 12.5k MWh per year — enough to power about 1,189 average U.S. homes.
Its capacity factor of 37% reflects intermittent or peaking operation.
| Plant Name | Purple Lake |
|---|---|
| Operator | Metlakatla Power & Light |
| City | Metlakatla |
| County | Prince Of Wales Ketchikan County |
| State | Alaska |
| ZIP | 99926 |
| Coordinates | 55.09126, -131.54498 |
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 | 1.3 MW | Operating | 1956 |
| 2 | Conventional Hydroelectric | Water | 1.3 MW | Operating | 1956 |
| 3 | Conventional Hydroelectric | Water | 1.3 MW | Operating | 1962 |
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.