Beacon BESS 1 — United States of America

Beacon BESS 1 is a 20 MW storage power plant in California, United States of America. It is operated by Los Angeles Department of Water & Power. Based on its capacity (estimated), it can supply roughly 5.0k homes (estimated). It ranks #4671 of 10,884 United States of America power plants by installed capacity. Commissioned in 2018, it is around 8 years old — recently built. As a non-combustion source, it has no direct CO₂ emissions from generation. In context, the national grid averages 384 gCO₂/kWh (43.0% low-carbon) (2025).

Plant data: WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0), id USA0061431.

Data provenance

Source of the capacity and fuel values:

capacity: GEM · 2026 · L100000804269; fuel: WRI GPPD

In context: how this plant compares

At 20 MW, Beacon BESS 1 is well above the median storage plant in United States of America (4 MW). This facility converts its energy source into electricity for the grid; its capacity, fuel type and location determine its role in the national power mix.

Capacity comparison computed from the WRI Global Power Plant Database; fuel-type context is general engineering background.

Key facts

Share of United States of America storage capacity

2.5% of 815 MW across 104 plants in this dataset

Age among peers

60 of 104 dated storage plants in United States of America are older

Calculated from the capacity and generation records in this dataset (WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0)).

Reported generation trend

Annual generation (GWh), WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0).

Owner

Operated by Los Angeles Department of Water & Power. All plants by this company →

Local climate & thermal context

This storage plant stores and releases electricity (pumped-hydro or batteries) to balance the grid. It sits in a cold semi-arid steppe climate (Köppen BSk) — Northern Hemisphere, latitude 35.3°N — which shapes how much energy it can produce and how its output varies through the year.

Monthly mean temperature

Heating degree-days here run 49% below the median power plant in this dataset — a proxy for how much extra energy heated equipment must replace through its surfaces in winter.

Climate heat-demand index: 30/100 — this site sits in the bottom third of the power plants we cover by heating degree-days.

Climate normals: WorldClim 2.1 (1970–2000 monthly normals, 10 arc-min, CC BY 4.0); zone: Köppen-Geiger world climate classification (Kottek et al. 2006, 0.5° grid). Degree-days & heat-demand index computed by PowerAtlas — a modelled heat-demand proxy, not a measured site figure.

Site climate & environmental severity

This site sits in a benign, low-corrosion environment (estimated ISO 9223 class C1 — Very low), with dust abrasion the leading environmental stress.

Indicative estimate via the ISO 9223:2012 informative method (atmospheric corrosivity from temperature, time-of-wetness and airborne salinity), using WorldClim climate normals, the Köppen-Geiger class and coast distance. Indicative, not a measured corrosion rate.

How it compares & nearby plants

The #8 largest storage power plant of 104 in United States of America by capacity.

United States of America has 104 storage power plants in this dataset, together about 815 MW of capacity.

Nearby power plants

• Hecate Energy Beacon Solar 4 · Solar · 50 MW · California
• Beacon Solar Plant Site 5 · Solar · 37.8 MW · California
• Hecate Energy Beacon Solar 1 · Solar · 56 MW · California
• Hecate Energy Beacon Solar 3 · Solar · 56 MW · California
• Beacon Solar Plant Site 2 · Solar · 47.3 MW · California
• Springbok Solar Farm 2 · Solar · 155 MW · California

Location

Coordinates 35.2565, -118.0275 from WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0). View on OpenStreetMap.

Frequently asked questions