CRESTA

How CRESTA compares

With 74 MW of capacity, CRESTA ranks 200th among the 874 operating power plants Bywatts maps in California and 51st of the 195 operating Hydro plants in the state. It accounts for about 0.5% of California's operating Hydro capacity and 0.1% of all operating capacity in the state. Nationally it is the 223rd-largest of the 1,243 operating Hydro plants in the database. Commissioned in 1949, it is older than 93% of the 859 operating California plants with a recorded commissioning year. Its operator, PACIFIC GAS & ELECTRIC CO, runs 71 operating plants in California totaling 7,904 MW. It shares Butte County with 14 other operating plants, including EDWARD C HYATT and POE.

EIA-860 lists 2 generators at the site with 74 MW of nameplate capacity, all conventional hydroelectric technology. Net generation was 338 GWh in 2024 (a 52% capacity factor), about 2.2 times its 2022 output. Its generators came online between 1949 and 1950.

Grid neighborhood

The nearest named substation is CRESTA (230 kV), under 0.1 miles away; the closest transmission line found within 10 miles is a 230 kV line owned by PACIFIC GAS & ELECTRIC COMPANY, under 0.1 miles away. Another 18 operating power plants totaling 1,718 MW sit within 25 miles; the largest is EDWARD C HYATT (762 MW, Hydro).

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