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97.2 MW Hydro operating in Fresno, CA — California Independent System Operator
97.2 MW
Nameplate Capacity
2
Generators
units
Conventional Hydroelectric
Technology
1958
Operating Since
Coordinates
36.9089, -119.0876
County
Fresno, CA
Nearby Plants
Owner data does not fully agree across sources.
EIA typically reports the operating utility, while GEM resolves to the financial owner or parent corporation. Both can be correct.
| Field | EIA | GEM | Wikidata |
|---|---|---|---|
| Operator | Pacific Gas & Electric Co. | Pacific Gas and Electric Co | — |
| Owner(s) | Pacific Gas & Electric Co. | PG&E | — |
| Status | Operating | operating | — |
Balch 2 is a 97.2 MW hydroelectric power plant located in Fresno County, California. The plant, which began operating in 1958, utilizes conventional hydroelectric technology and is owned and operated by Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E). It consists of two generators and uses water (WAT) as its primary fuel source. Balch 2 operates within the California Independent System Operator (CAISO) balancing authority and the Western Electricity Coordinating Council (WECC) NERC region.
In the most recent year with available data, Balch 2 generated 443,385 MWh of electricity, achieving a capacity factor of 51.4%. The plant's installed cost was $572.56 per kW. Balch 2 ranks as the 43rd largest power plant in California out of 247 facilities and 197th nationally out of 1464 plants. Financial data for the plant is available from FERC filings.
Generated from EIA, GEM, and public data sources
ISO/RTO
CAISO
Market
ISO/RTO Member
NERC Region
WECC — Western Electricity Coordinating Council
Balancing Authority
32.4K MWh
Latest Month
443.4K MWh
Annual Generation
51.4%
Capacity Factor
Hydro with storage · PACIFIC GAS AND ELECTRIC COMPANY · Data from 2015–2024
$570/kW
Installed Cost
$11.6/MWh
Operating Cost
Annual Capital & Operating Expenses
Cumulative Installed Cost
Per-Unit Cost Trends
Market Position
ISO/RTO Market
CAISO
LMP Node
BLCH38750_7_B1
Pricing Hub
TH_ZP26_GEN-APND
Location Type
Pricing Node
Node Source
EIA-860 direct report
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ask pi about Balch 2California Independent System Operator (CISO)
Grid Voltage
230.0 kV
Regulatory Status
RE — Regulated
Entity Type
Investor-Owned Utility
Sector
Electric Utility