1273rd largest plant in California · 9754th nationally
Valley Center 1 is a solar power plant in California with a nameplate capacity of 2.5 MW. It generates roughly 3.9k MWh per year — enough to power about 375 average U.S. homes.
Its capacity factor of 18% reflects intermittent or peaking operation.
| Plant Name | Valley Center 1 |
|---|---|
| Operator | Mn8 Energy Llc |
| City | Valley Center |
| County | San Diego County |
| State | California |
| ZIP | 92082 |
| Coordinates | 33.23417, -117.00167 |
This plant highlighted in navy-ringed pin; other generators within 25 miles shown as fuel-colored dots.
| ID | Technology | Fuel | Capacity | Status | Online |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| VC1 | Solar Photovoltaic | Solar | 2.5 MW | Operating | 2013 |
| NERC Region | WECC |
|---|---|
| Balancing Authority | California Independent System Operator |
Utility-scale solar farms convert sunlight directly into electricity using photovoltaic panels. They produce zero direct emissions and have no fuel cost, but generation is variable — peaking at midday and falling to zero at night. Capacity factors typically run 18–28% in good locations.