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27.9 MW Hydro operating in Sierra, NM — Western Area Power Administration - Rocky Mountain Region
27.9 MW
Nameplate Capacity
3
Generators
units
Conventional Hydroelectric
Technology
1940
Operating Since
Coordinates
33.1533, -107.1921
County
Sierra, NM
Nearby Plants
| Field | EIA | GEM | Wikidata |
|---|---|---|---|
| Operator | U S Bureau of Reclamation | — | — |
| Owner(s) | U S Bureau of Reclamation | — | — |
| Status | Operating | — | — |
Elephant Butte is a 27.9 MW hydroelectric power plant located in Sierra County, New Mexico. The plant began operating in 1940 and is owned and operated by the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation. It utilizes three generators and draws its power from water (WAT) using conventional hydroelectric technology. Elephant Butte is the second-largest of four hydroelectric plants in New Mexico, and ranks 423rd out of 1464 nationally.
The plant operates within the Western Electricity Coordinating Council (WECC) NERC region, and its balancing authority is the Western Area Power Administration - Rocky Mountain Region. In the most recent year with available data, Elephant Butte generated 57,088 MWh of electricity, achieving a capacity factor of 23.3%. Recent news coverage of the plant has focused on regulatory matters.
Generated from EIA, GEM, and public data sources
Grid Region
Mountain West
Market
Bilateral Market
NERC Region
WECC — Western Electricity Coordinating Council
Balancing Authority
0 MWh
Latest Month
57.1K MWh
Annual Generation
23.3%
Capacity Factor
2013
$2,294/kW
Est. Construction Cost
Total estimated cost: $64.0M
This plant is in a bilateral market territory without organized wholesale pricing. Nodal pricing data is not available.
Last updated 2026-03-26
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ask pi about Elephant ButteWestern Area Power Administration - Rocky Mountain Region (WACM)
Grid Voltage
115.0 kV
Regulatory Status
RE — Regulated
Entity Type
Federal
Sector
Electric Utility