Elmore Company — United States of America

Geothermal power plant in California, United States of America. Approximate location 33.1777, -115.6033.

GeothermalCaliforniaUnited States of America

Elmore Company is a 45.5 MW geothermal power plant in California, United States of America. It is operated by CalEnergy Operating Corporation. Based on reported annual generation of 363 GWh, it can supply roughly 104k homes. It ranks #3813 of 10,884 United States of America power plants by installed capacity. Commissioned in 1988, it is around 38 years old — long-established. As a non-combustion source, it has no direct CO₂ emissions from generation. In context, geothermal supplies about 0.4% of United States of America's electricity; the national grid averages 384 gCO₂/kWh (43.0% low-carbon) (2025).

45.5MW installed capacity
363GWh reported / yr
103,742homes powered
1988commissioned (~38 yrs)

Plant data: WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0), id USA0010634.

Data status

Known data

FacilityElmore Company WRI
CountryUnited States of America · California WRI
Coordinates33.1777, -115.6033 WRI
FuelGeothermal WRI
MW installed capacity45.5 MW Wikidata P2109; installed/nameplate capacity
Verification noteQuality label backfilled from existing source-backed capacity provenance on 2026-07-05; capacity value was not changed. source-verified
OwnerCalEnergy Operating Corporation WRI
Commissioned1988 WRI
GWh reported / yr363 GWh·a⁻¹ WRI

Calculated from dataset

Capacity rank in country#3813 / 10884 calculated
Fuel-specific rank in country#26 / 65 calculated
Capacity vs country/fuel peers1.52× · 30 MW · n=65 calculated
Homes-powered equivalent103,742 calculated from reported generation
Climate22.6°C · HDD 444 derived from coordinates
Environmental severityC1 · 44/100 derived from coordinates

Not available

TechnologyNot available not in dataset
CO₂ emissionsnot applicable not applicable

Known, modelled and calculated values are kept separate. Missing fields are shown as unavailable.

Data provenance

Source of the capacity and fuel values:

capacity: Wikidata P2109; fuel: WRI GPPD

In context: how this plant compares

At 45.5 MW, Elmore Company is well above the median geothermal plant in United States of America (30 MW). Geothermal plants tap underground heat to raise steam for a turbine; they provide steady, low-carbon baseload but are limited to geologically active regions.

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

Key facts

Load factor
91%, from 363 GWh of reported generation; the median for 60 geothermal plants in United States of America that report generation is 52%
Generation trend
326 GWh in 2013 and 363 GWh in 2019 (+12%)
Highest and lowest year
2019: 363 GWh; 2017: 288 GWh
Share of United States of America geothermal capacity
1.2% of 3,889 MW across 65 plants in this dataset
Age among peers
10 of 65 dated geothermal 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

2013: 326 GWh20132014: 345 GWh20142015: 353 GWh20152016: 305 GWh20162017: 288 GWh20172018: 309 GWh20182019: 363 GWh2019363 GWh

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

Local climate & thermal context

This geothermal plant taps underground heat to raise steam that drives a turbine. It sits in a hot desert climate (Köppen BWh) — Northern Hemisphere, latitude 33.2°N — which shapes how much energy it can produce and how its output varies through the year.

22.6°Cannual mean temp
444heating degree-days (base 18°C)
2,146cooling degree-days (base 18°C)
-27 melevation

Monthly mean temperature

J: 13 °CJF: 15 °CFM: 18 °CMA: 21 °CAM: 25 °CMJ: 30 °CJJ: 33 °CJA: 33 °CAS: 30 °CSO: 24 °CON: 17 °CND: 13 °CD33 °C

Heating degree-days here run 82% 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: 20/100 — 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.

C1ISO 9223 corrosivity (indicative)
44/100environmental-severity index
20.5°Cseasonal temperature swing
164 kmdistance to coast

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 #26 largest geothermal power plant of 65 in United States of America by capacity.

United States of America has 65 geothermal power plants in this dataset, together about 3,889 MW of capacity.

Nearby power plants

Location

Coordinates 33.1777, -115.6033 from WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0). View on OpenStreetMap.

Frequently asked questions

What type of power plant is Elmore Company?

Elmore Company is a 45.5 MW geothermal power plant in California, United States of America, commissioned in 1988.

How much electricity does Elmore Company generate?

Elmore Company generates about 363 GWh of electricity per year.

Who operates Elmore Company?

Elmore Company is operated by CalEnergy Operating Corporation.

Built from open public data; no personal information. Operate this site? Request a correction or removal.