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474.7 MW Natural Gas operating in Potter, TX — Southwest Power Pool
474.7 MW
Nameplate Capacity
3
Generators
units
Natural Gas Steam Turbine
Technology
1960
Operating Since
Coordinates
35.2834, -101.7464
County
Potter, TX
Nearby Plants
| Field | EIA | GEM | Wikidata |
|---|---|---|---|
| Operator | Southwestern Public Service Co | Southwestern Public Service | — |
| Owner(s) | Southwestern Public Service Co | Xcel Energy | — |
| Status | Operating | — | — |
The Nichols plant is a 474.7 MW natural gas-fired power plant located in Potter County, Texas. The plant, which began operating in 1960, is owned by Xcel Energy and operated by Southwestern Public Service Co. It consists of three natural gas steam turbine generators. Nichols is located within the Southwest Power Pool (SPP) balancing authority and the Midwest Reliability Organization (MRO) NERC region.
In the most recent year with available data, the plant generated 1,728,508 MWh, achieving a capacity factor of 41.4%. The installed cost of the plant was $328.24 per kW, according to FERC data. Nichols ranks as the 83rd largest power plant in Texas out of 144, and 503rd nationally out of 945 plants.
Generated from EIA, GEM, and public data sources
ISO/RTO
SPP
Market
ISO/RTO Member
NERC Region
MRO — Midwest Reliability Organization
Balancing Authority
90.0K MWh
Latest Month
1.7M MWh
Annual Generation
41.4%
Capacity Factor
CO₂ Intensity
1347 lb/MWh
NOx
1 lb/MWh
SO₂
Steam turbine · Southwestern Public Service Company · Data from 2015–2024
$470/kW
Installed Cost
$23/kW
Annual CapEx
$19.9/MWh
Operating Cost
Annual Capital & Operating Expenses
Cumulative Installed Cost
Per-Unit Cost Trends
Point of Interconnection
Nearest Substation
Nichols Switchyard · 230 kV
Substation Distance
< 10 km
Operator
Xcel Energy
Coord Source
OSM spatial
Market Position
ISO/RTO Market
SPP
LMP Node
SPS.NICHOLS3
Pricing Hub
SPP South Hub
Location Type
Settlement Location
Node Source
EIA-860 direct report
Last updated 2026-03-14
View all articlesSouthwest Power Pool (SWPP)
Grid Voltage
230.0 kV
Regulatory Status
RE — Regulated
Entity Type
Investor-Owned Utility
Sector
Electric Utility
0.007 lb/MWh
CH₄
0.025 lb/MWh
N₂O
0.002 lb/MWh
Capacity Factor
29.1%
Annual Net Gen
1211 GWh
CO₂eq
1349 lb/MWh
Subregion
SPP South