DESERT BASIN

How DESERT BASIN compares

With 646 MW of capacity, DESERT BASIN ranks 21st among the 71 operating power plants Bywatts maps in Arizona and 16th of the 23 operating Natural Gas plants in the state. It accounts for about 4.0% of Arizona's operating Natural Gas capacity and 2.2% of all operating capacity in the state. Nationally it is the 231st-largest of the 1,185 operating Natural Gas plants in the database. Commissioned in 2001, it is older than 60% of the 69 operating Arizona plants with a recorded commissioning year. Its operator, SALT RIVER PROJECT, runs 11 operating plants in Arizona totaling 5,203 MW. It shares Pinal County with 4 other operating plants, including COOLIDGE GENERATION STATION and SUNDANCE.

EIA-860 lists 5 generators at the site with 745 MW of nameplate capacity, mainly natural gas fired combined cycle technology (this page's HIFLD capacity figure is 646 MW). Net generation was 2,741 GWh in 2024 (a 42% capacity factor). Its generators came online between 2001 and 2022.

Grid neighborhood

The nearest named substation is DESERT BASIN (230 kV), about 0.1 miles away; the closest transmission line found within 10 miles is a 230 kV line, about 0.1 miles away. Another 3 operating power plants totaling 1,368 MW sit within 25 miles; the largest is COOLIDGE GENERATION STATION (726 MW, Natural Gas). Within 50 miles are 5 mapped data centers; the nearest is CyrusOne Phoenix in Phoenix, about 25.9 miles away.

Computed by Bywatts from HIFLD power plant, substation and transmission line records, EIA-860/923 survey data and PeeringDB data center locations; distances are straight-line. Sources and methodology