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547.5 MW Conventional Hydroelectric (300 MW) + Hydroelectric Pumped Storage (247 MW) operating in Pittsylvania, VA — PJM Interconnection, LLC
547.5 MW
Nameplate Capacity
5
Generators
units
Hybrid (2)
Technology
Conventional Hydroelectric + Hydroelectric Pumped Storage
1965
Operating Since
Coordinates
37.0413, -79.5356
County
Pittsylvania, VA
Nearby Plants
| Field | EIA | GEM | Wikidata |
|---|---|---|---|
| Operator | Appalachian Power Co | Appalachian Power | American Electric Power |
| Owner(s) | Appalachian Power Co | American Electric Power Company | — |
| Status | Operating | operating | — |
Smith Mountain Dam is a concrete arch dam located on the Roanoke River in Virginia, creating Smith Mountain Lake. The dam was built by Appalachian Power between 1960 and 1963 for the purposes of pumped-storage hydroelectricity. The dam created Smith Mountain Lake as its reservoir, where recreation and real estate have become popular.
Read more on WikipediaLocated in Pittsylvania County, Virginia, the Smith Mountain hydroelectric plant has a total capacity of 547.5 MW across 5 generators. The plant began operating in 1965 and is owned by American Electric Power Company, with Appalachian Power Co. as the listed operator per EIA data. The primary fuel source is water (WAT), and the plant utilizes both conventional hydroelectric and pumped storage technologies, classifying it as a hybrid facility. Smith Mountain operates within the PJM Interconnection, LLC balancing authority and the RFC NERC region.
Smith Mountain is the second-largest of three hydroelectric plants in Virginia, and ranks 45th out of 194 nationally. Financial data indicates an installed cost of $217.89 per kW, based on FERC filings. News coverage of the plant includes 5 articles related to hazards and 4 related to industry topics.
Generated from EIA, GEM, and public data sources
ISO/RTO
PJM
Market
ISO/RTO Member
NERC Region
RFC
Balancing Authority
PJM Interconnection, LLC (PJM)
Grid Voltage
138.0 kV
Regulatory Status
RE — Regulated
Entity Type
Investor-Owned Utility
Sector
Electric Utility
−7.7K MWh
Net Charging
-86.8K MWh
Annual Net Energy
-1.8%
Capacity Factor
Positive values indicate net discharge (generation exceeds station load). Negative values indicate net charging. Pure battery storage plants are typically net negative due to round-trip efficiency losses.
Appalachian Power Company · Data from 2015–2024
$259/kW
Installed Cost
$50.4/MWh
Operating Cost
Annual Capital & Operating Expenses
Cumulative Installed Cost
Per-Unit Cost Trends
Point of Interconnection
Nearest Substation
Smith Mountain Substation · 138 kV
Substation Distance
0 km
Coord Source
OSM spatial
Market Position
ISO/RTO Market
PJM
LMP Node
SMITHMOU13.8 KV SM1
Pricing Hub
DOMINION HUB
Location Type
Generation Node
Node Source
Curated node match
Last updated 2026-03-14
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