NRG Energy San Diego — United States of America
Gas power plant in California, United States of America. Approximate location 32.7149, -117.1689.
GasCaliforniaUnited States of America
NRG Energy San Diego is a 1.6 MW gas power plant in California, United States of America. It is operated by NRG Energy Center San Diego LLC. Based on reported annual generation of 2 GWh, it can supply roughly 542 homes. It ranks #9604 of 10,884 United States of America power plants by installed capacity. Commissioned in 1986, it is around 40 years old — long-established. 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 USA0054337.
Data status
Known 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 1.6 MW, NRG Energy San Diego 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.
Key facts
- Load factor
- 14%, from 2 GWh of reported generation; the median for 1622 gas plants in United States of America that report generation is 26%
- Generation trend
- 2 GWh in 2013 and 2 GWh in 2018 (+12%)
- Highest and lowest year
- 2015: 2 GWh; 2014: 1 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
- 400 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 NRG Energy Center San Diego 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 32.7°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 77% 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: 21/100 — 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 #2083 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
- North Island Energy Facility · Gas · 40.3 MW · California
- Naval Hospital Medical Center · Gas · 5.3 MW · California
- San Diego Zoo · Storage · 1 MW · California
- C P Kelco San Diego Plant · Gas · 29.2 MW · California
- Lindberg Field Solar 2 · Solar · 1.9 MW · California
- Lindberg FIeld Solar · Solar · 3.6 MW · California
Location
Coordinates 32.7149, -117.1689 from WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0). View on OpenStreetMap.
Frequently asked questions
What type of power plant is NRG Energy San Diego?
NRG Energy San Diego is a 1.6 MW gas power plant in California, United States of America, commissioned in 1986.
How much electricity does NRG Energy San Diego generate?
NRG Energy San Diego generates about 2 GWh of electricity per year.
Who operates NRG Energy San Diego?
NRG Energy San Diego is operated by NRG Energy Center San Diego LLC.