Panoche Peaker — United States of America
Gas power plant in California, United States of America. Approximate location 36.6535, -120.5783.
GasCaliforniaUnited States of AmericaOCGT
Panoche Peaker is a 57 MW gas power plant in California, United States of America. It is operated by Wellhead Energy LLC. Based on reported annual generation of 2 GWh, it can supply roughly 657 homes. It ranks #3489 of 10,884 United States of America power plants by installed capacity. Commissioned in 1973, it is around 53 years old — an older, legacy facility. 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 USA0055874.
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 57 MW for Panoche Peaker 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 · L100000407399; fuel: WRI GPPD
In context: how this plant compares
At 57 MW, Panoche Peaker is below the median gas plant in United States of America (121.2 MW). Technically it is described as OCGT. 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
- 0%, from 2 GWh of reported generation; the median for 1622 gas plants in United States of America that report generation is 26%
- Generation trend
- 4 GWh in 2013 and 2 GWh in 2019 (−45%)
- Highest and lowest year
- 2017: 13 GWh; 2019: 2 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
- 217 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 36.7°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 50% 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: 29/100 — this site sits in the bottom third of the power plants we cover by heating degree-days.
A gas turbine here also runs ~1% 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 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 #1320 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
- Midway Peaking LLC · Gas · 139.8 MW · California
- CalPeak Power Panoche Peaker Plant · Gas · 60.5 MW · California
- Panoche Energy Center · Gas · 432 MW · California
- Citizen B · Solar · 5 MW · California
- North Star Solar · Solar · 61.6 MW · California
- RE Tranquillity · Solar · 205.3 MW · California
Location
Coordinates 36.6535, -120.5783 from WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0). View on OpenStreetMap.
Frequently asked questions
What type of power plant is Panoche Peaker?
Panoche Peaker is a 57 MW gas power plant in California, United States of America, commissioned in 1973.
How much electricity does Panoche Peaker generate?
Panoche Peaker generates about 2 GWh of electricity per year.
Who operates Panoche Peaker?
Panoche Peaker is operated by Wellhead Energy LLC.