Chula Vista Energy Center — United States of America
Gas power plant in California, United States of America. Approximate location 32.5917, -117.0586.
GasCaliforniaUnited States of AmericaCO₂ modelled
Chula Vista Energy Center is a 44 MW gas power plant in California, United States of America. It is operated by Wellhead Energy LLC. Based on reported annual generation of 4 GWh, it can supply roughly 1.1k homes. It ranks #3847 of 10,884 United States of America power plants by installed capacity. Commissioned in 2001, it is around 25 years old — relatively modern. Its modelled annual emissions are 54,055 t CO₂/yr (Climate TRACE), equivalent to about 13k cars driven for a year. In context, gas supplies about 40.0% of United States of America's electricity; the national grid averages 384 gCO₂/kWh (43.0% low-carbon) (2025).
Plant data: WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0), id USA0055540.
Data status
Known data
Modelled source data
Calculated from dataset
Not available
Known, modelled and calculated values are kept separate. Missing fields are shown as unavailable.
Data provenance
Capacity and fuel are the upstream open-dataset record, not yet matched to a 2026 registry or GEM entry.
capacity: WRI GPPD; fuel: WRI GPPD
In context: how this plant compares
At 44 MW, Chula Vista Energy Center is below the median gas plant in United States of America (121.2 MW). Gas plants burn natural gas either in open-cycle turbines for fast peaking, or in combined-cycle units that recover exhaust heat in an HRSG to reach roughly 55–62% efficiency — the cleanest-burning fossil option.
Capacity comparison computed from the WRI Global Power Plant Database; fuel-type context is general engineering background.
~54,055 t CO₂/yr (modelled) — in everyday terms
This facility's annual emissions are roughly equivalent to:
Equivalencies via US EPA Greenhouse Gas Equivalencies; modelled emissions from Climate TRACE.
Key facts
- Load factor
- 1%, from 4 GWh of reported generation; the median for 1622 gas plants in United States of America that report generation is 26%
- Generation trend
- 0 GWh in 2013 and 4 GWh in 2019 (+680%)
- Highest and lowest year
- 2016: 5 GWh; 2013: 0 GWh
- Share of United States of America gas capacity
- less than 0.1% of 789,950 MW across 2,165 plants in this dataset
- Age among peers
- 944 of 1,973 dated gas 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 Wellhead Energy LLC.
Local climate & thermal context
This gas plant burns natural gas in a turbine — often in a combined-cycle setup — to generate electricity. It sits in a cold semi-arid steppe climate (Köppen BSk) — Northern Hemisphere, latitude 32.6°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 74% 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: 22/100 — this site sits in the bottom third of the power plants we cover by heating degree-days.
A gas turbine here also runs ~2% below its ISO (15°C) rating at this annual mean (typical CCGT curve, estimate).
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 corrosive environment (estimated ISO 9223 class C4 — High), 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 #1429 largest gas power plant of 2165 in United States of America by capacity.
United States of America has 2165 gas power plants in this dataset, together about 789,950 MW of capacity.
Nearby power plants
- Otay Landfill Gas, LLC · Gas · 10.5 MW · California
- County of San Diego SBRC · Solar · 1.3 MW · California
- SeaWorld Aquatica · Solar · 1.1 MW · California
- South Bay Fuel Cell Plant · Biomass · 1.5 MW · California
- Larkspur Energy Facility · Gas · 99.8 MW · Baja California
- CalPeak Power Border Peaker Plant · Gas · 60.5 MW · Baja California
Location
Coordinates 32.5917, -117.0586 from WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0). View on OpenStreetMap.
Frequently asked questions
What type of power plant is Chula Vista Energy Center?
Chula Vista Energy Center is a 44 MW gas power plant in California, United States of America, commissioned in 2001.
How much electricity does Chula Vista Energy Center generate?
Chula Vista Energy Center generates about 4 GWh of electricity per year.
Who operates Chula Vista Energy Center?
Chula Vista Energy Center is operated by Wellhead Energy LLC.
How much CO₂ does Chula Vista Energy Center emit?
Chula Vista Energy Center has modelled emissions of about 54,055 tonnes of CO₂ per year (Climate TRACE).