List of power stations in California

Sources of California in-state electricity generation: 2022[1] This accounted for 70% of CA's demand in 2022; the remaining 30% was imported.[1]

  Natural gas (47.46%)
  Solar (19.92%)
  Nuclear (8.67%)
  Hydroelectric (8.66%)
  Wind (6.86%)
  Geothermal (5.47%)
  Biomass (2.64%)
  Waste Heat/Petroleum (0.15%)
  Coal (0.13%)
California in-state electricity generation by source 2001-2020 (ignores imports which made up 32% of demand in 2018, but varies by year) - 2012 is when San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station shutdown; 2017 & 2019 were high rainfall years
California electricity production by type showing seasonal variation in generation

This is a list of power stations in the U.S. state of California that are used for utility-scale electricity generation. This includes baseload, peaking, and energy storage power stations, but does not include large backup generators. As of 2018, California had 80 GW of installed generation capacity encompassing more than 1,500 power plants; with 41 GW of natural gas, 26.5 GW of renewable (12 GW solar, 6 GW wind), 12 GW large hydroelectric, and 2.4 GW nuclear.[2]: 1 

In 2020, California had a total summer capacity of 78,055 MW through all of its power plants, and a net energy generation of 193,075 GWh.[3] Its electricity production was the third largest in the nation behind Texas and Florida. California ranks first in the nation as a producer of solar, geothermal, and biomass resources.[4] Utility-scale solar photovoltaic and thermal sources together generated 17% of electricity in 2021. Small-scale solar including customer-owned PV panels delivered an additional net 19,828 GWh to California's electrical grid, equal to about half the generation by the state's utility-scale facilities.[5]

The Diablo Canyon Power Plant in San Luis Obispo County is the largest power station in California with a nameplate capacity of 2,256 MW and an annual generation of 18,214 GWh in 2018.[6] The largest under construction is the Westlands Solar Park in Kings County, which will generate 2,000 MW when completed in 2025.[7][8]

The California Independent System Operator (CAISO) oversees the operation of its member utilities.

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Locations of the three largest power stations (per type) in California.
Biomass, Coal, Geothermal, Hydro, Natural gas,
Nuclear, Solar, Wind
Cities
  1. ^ a b "2022 Total System Electric Generation". California Energy Commission. Retrieved September 9, 2023.
  2. ^ Cite error: The named reference En_CAgov was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  3. ^ "California Electricity Profile". U.S. Energy Information Administration. Retrieved July 18, 2022.
  4. ^ "California Electricity Profile Analysis". U.S. EIA. Retrieved January 8, 2021.
  5. ^ "Electricity Data Browser, Net generation for all sectors, California, Fuel Type-Check all, Annual, 2001–21". www.eia.gov. Retrieved July 18, 2022.
  6. ^ "Electricity Data Browser - Diablo Canyon". www.eia.gov. Retrieved February 9, 2020.
  7. ^ "Westlands Solar Park". Retrieved January 13, 2020.
  8. ^ Nidever, Seth. "Official: Giant solar proposal poised for growth". Hanford Sentinel. Retrieved January 13, 2020.