35th largest plant in Connecticut · 4588th nationally
Tunnel is a hydroelectric power plant in Connecticut with a nameplate capacity of 20.5 MW. It generates roughly 11.9k MWh per year — enough to power about 1,133 average U.S. homes.
Its capacity factor of 7% reflects intermittent or peaking operation.
| Plant Name | Tunnel |
|---|---|
| Operator | Firstlight Power Resources Services Llc |
| City | Preston |
| County | New London County |
| State | Connecticut |
| ZIP | 06365 |
| Coordinates | 41.55542, -72.04183 |
This plant highlighted in navy-ringed pin; other generators within 25 miles shown as fuel-colored dots.
| ID | Technology | Fuel | Capacity | Status | Online |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | Petroleum Liquids | Jet Fuel | 18.5 MW | Standby | 1969 |
| 1 | Conventional Hydroelectric | Water | 1.0 MW | Operating | 1919 |
| 2 | Conventional Hydroelectric | Water | 1.0 MW | Operating | 1949 |
| Owner | Location | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Firstlight Hydro Generating Company | New Milford, CT | 10000.0% |
Ownership reported to EIA Form 860. Percentages reflect reported generator-level ownership share, averaged when a plant has multiple generators.
| NOₓ | 1 metric tons |
|---|
Annual totals and CO₂ rate reported by EPA eGRID for 2023. Reference averages are approximate U.S.-wide figures from the same dataset.
| NERC Region | NPCC |
|---|---|
| Balancing Authority | Iso New England 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.