Salem Smart Power Center — United States of America

Salem Smart Power Center is a 5 MW storage power plant in Oregon, United States of America. It is operated by Portland General Electric Co. Based on its capacity (estimated), it can supply roughly 1.3k homes (estimated). It ranks #7006 of 10,884 United States of America power plants by installed capacity. Commissioned in 2013, it is around 13 years old — relatively modern. As a non-combustion source, it has no direct CO₂ emissions from generation. In context, the national grid averages 384 gCO₂/kWh (43.0% low-carbon) (2025).

Plant data: WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0), id USA0060441.

Data provenance

Source of the capacity and fuel values:

capacity: Wikidata P2109; fuel: WRI GPPD

In context: how this plant compares

At 5 MW, Salem Smart Power Center is well above the median storage plant in United States of America (4 MW). This facility converts its energy source into electricity for the grid; its capacity, fuel type and location determine its role in the national power mix.

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

Key facts

Share of United States of America storage capacity

0.6% of 815 MW across 104 plants in this dataset

Age among peers

10 of 104 dated storage 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 Portland General Electric Co. All plants by this company →

Local climate & thermal context

This storage plant stores and releases electricity (pumped-hydro or batteries) to balance the grid. It sits in a warm-summer Mediterranean climate (Köppen Csb) — Northern Hemisphere, latitude 44.9°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 2% 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: 51/100 — this site sits in the mid 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 corrosive environment (estimated ISO 9223 class C4 — High), with marine corrosion 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 #43 largest storage power plant of 104 in United States of America by capacity.

United States of America has 104 storage power plants in this dataset, together about 815 MW of capacity.

Nearby power plants

• Rafael Solar · Solar · 2.2 MW · Oregon
• Sheep Solar · Solar · 2.2 MW · Oregon
• Labish Solar LLC · Solar · 2.2 MW · Oregon
• Valley Creek Solar · Solar · 2.2 MW · Oregon
• Covanta Marion Inc · Waste · 13.1 MW · Oregon
• Silverton Solar · Solar · 2.2 MW · Oregon

Location

Coordinates 44.922, -123.0183 from WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0). View on OpenStreetMap.

Frequently asked questions