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50 MW Hydro operating in Pierce, WA — City of Tacoma, Department of Public Utilities, Light Division
50 MW
Nameplate Capacity
2
Generators
units
Conventional Hydroelectric
Technology
1945
Operating Since
Coordinates
46.8016, -122.3102
County
Pierce, WA
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 | City of Tacoma - (WA) | City of Tacoma (WA) | — |
| Owner(s) | City of Tacoma - (WA) | City of Tacoma (WA) | — |
| Status | Operating | operating | — |
GEM identifies the owner as City of Tacoma (WA)
This entity is not yet in the GEM ownership database — chain unavailable.
Alder Dam is a concrete thick arch dam on the Nisqually River in the U.S. state of Washington. The construction began in 1942 and was completed in 1945. At this time Alder Dam was among the tallest dams in the United States, although this title has since been surpassed. The impounded water behind the dam forms Alder Lake, stretching about 7 miles (11 km) upstream with a capacity of 241,950 acre-feet (0.29844 km3). With 28 miles (45 km) of shoreline, the lake is a popular recreation spot close to Mount Rainier National Park.
Read more on WikipediaThe Alder hydroelectric plant, located in Pierce County, Washington, has a total capacity of 50 MW. The plant began operating in 1945 and utilizes conventional hydroelectric technology. It is owned and operated by the City of Tacoma, Washington. Alder is ranked as the 32nd largest power plant in Washington out of 75, and 302nd nationally out of 1464 plants.
The plant consists of two generators and uses water as its primary fuel source. In the most recent year with available data, Alder generated 182,852 MWh of electricity, achieving a capacity factor of 41.6%. The balancing authority for the plant is the City of Tacoma, Department of Public Utilities, Light Division, and it operates within the Western Electricity Coordinating Council (WECC) NERC region.
Generated from EIA, GEM, and public data sources
Grid Region
Pacific Northwest
Market
WEIM Participant
NERC Region
WECC — Western Electricity Coordinating Council
Balancing Authority
24.2K MWh
Latest Month
182.9K MWh
Annual Generation
41.6%
Capacity Factor
2013
$2,294/kW
Est. Construction Cost
Total estimated cost: $114.7M
This plant's balancing authority participates in CAISO's Western Energy Imbalance Market (WEIM). Direct nodal pricing data is not yet available.
Last updated 2026-03-14
View all articlesNo ask pi reports yet for this entity.
ask pi about AlderCity of Tacoma, Department of Public Utilities, Light Division (TPWR)
Grid Voltage
110.0 kV
Regulatory Status
RE — Regulated
Entity Type
Municipal
Sector
Electric Utility