French Island — United States of America
Oil power plant in Wisconsin, United States of America. Approximate location 43.8292, -91.2597.
OilWisconsinUnited States of AmericaOCGT
French Island is a 157.6 MW oil power station in Wisconsin, United States of America. It is operated by Northern States Power Co - Minnesota. Based on reported annual generation of 61 GWh, it can supply roughly 17k homes. It ranks #2218 of 10,884 United States of America power plants by installed capacity. Commissioned in 1969, it is around 57 years old — an older, legacy facility. In context, oil supplies about 0.7% 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 USA0004005.
Data status
Known data
Calculated from dataset
Known, modelled and calculated values are kept separate. Missing fields are shown as unavailable.
Capacity provenance
The public capacity above is the current source-record value. A 2026 tracker candidate lists 158 MW for French Island power station, but it is not used as the public primary value until scope is verified (unit vs operating vs installed/project total).
Data provenance
Source of the capacity and fuel values:
capacity: GEM · 2026 · L100000409271; fuel: WRI GPPD
In context: how this plant compares
At 157.6 MW, French Island is well above the median oil plant in United States of America (7.2 MW). Technically it is described as OCGT. Oil-fired plants burn heavy fuel oil or diesel, usually as peaking or backup capacity on islands and grids without gas pipelines; high fuel cost keeps their utilisation low.
Capacity comparison computed from the WRI Global Power Plant Database; fuel-type context is general engineering background.
Key facts
- Load factor
- 4%, from 61 GWh of reported generation; the median for 469 oil plants in United States of America that report generation is 0%
- Generation trend
- 66 GWh in 2013 and 61 GWh in 2019 (−8%)
- Highest and lowest year
- 2013: 66 GWh; 2018: 54 GWh
- Share of United States of America oil capacity
- 0.4% of 40,022 MW across 902 plants in this dataset
- Age among peers
- 88 of 877 dated oil 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 Northern States Power Co - Minnesota. All plants by this company →
Local climate & thermal context
This oil plant burns oil or diesel to drive turbines or reciprocating engines. It sits in a hot-summer humid continental climate (Köppen Dfa) — Northern Hemisphere, latitude 43.8°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 62% above 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: 84/100 — this site sits in the top 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 mild atmospheric environment (estimated ISO 9223 class C2 — Low), with thermal cycling 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 #46 largest oil power plant of 902 in United States of America by capacity.
United States of America has 902 oil power plants in this dataset, together about 40,022 MW of capacity.
Nearby power plants
- Onalaska Campus Landfill Biogas · Waste · 1.1 MW · Wisconsin
- Lacrosse nuclear power plant · Nuclear · 55 MW · Wisconsin
- Genoa Station · Coal · 345.6 MW · Wisconsin
- Genoa · Coal · 345.6 MW · Wisconsin
- Cashton Solar · Solar · 2 MW · Wisconsin
- Cashton Greens Wind Farm · Wind · 5 MW · Wisconsin
Location
Coordinates 43.8292, -91.2597 from WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0). View on OpenStreetMap.
Frequently asked questions
What type of power plant is French Island?
French Island is a 157.6 MW oil power plant in Wisconsin, United States of America, commissioned in 1969.
How much electricity does French Island generate?
French Island generates about 61 GWh of electricity per year.
Who operates French Island?
French Island is operated by Northern States Power Co - Minnesota.