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73.8 MW Hydro operating in Butte, CA — California Independent System Operator
73.8 MW
Nameplate Capacity
2
Generators
units
Conventional Hydroelectric
Technology
1949
Operating Since
Coordinates
39.8259, -121.4097
County
Butte, 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 | — |
| Owner(s) | Pacific Gas & Electric Co. | PG&E | — |
| Status | Operating | operating | — |
Cresta is a 73.8 MW hydroelectric power plant located in Butte County, California. The plant began operating in 1949 and utilizes conventional hydroelectric technology. It consists of two generators and is owned and operated by Pacific Gas & Electric Co. (PG&E). Cresta is connected to the California Independent System Operator (CAISO) balancing authority and is within the Western Electricity Coordinating Council (WECC) NERC region.
In the most recent year with available data, Cresta generated 338,088 MWh of electricity, achieving a capacity factor of 52.4%. The plant's installed cost was $1,038.35 per kW. Cresta ranks as the 55th largest power plant in California out of 247, and 241st nationally out of 1464 plants.
Generated from EIA, GEM, and public data sources
ISO/RTO
CAISO
Market
ISO/RTO Member
NERC Region
WECC — Western Electricity Coordinating Council
Balancing Authority
26.9K MWh
Latest Month
338.1K MWh
Annual Generation
52.4%
Capacity Factor
Hydro with storage · PACIFIC GAS AND ELECTRIC COMPANY · Data from 2015–2024
$1,051/kW
Installed Cost
$9.5/MWh
Operating Cost
Annual Capital & Operating Expenses
Cumulative Installed Cost
Per-Unit Cost Trends
Market Position
ISO/RTO Market
CAISO
LMP Node
CRESTA_7_PL1X2-APND
Pricing Hub
TH_NP15_GEN-APND
Location Type
Aggregated Node
Node Source
EIA-860 direct report
Last updated 2026-03-26
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ask pi about CrestaCalifornia Independent System Operator (CISO)
Grid Voltage
230.0 kV
Regulatory Status
RE — Regulated
Entity Type
Investor-Owned Utility
Sector
Electric Utility