HELMS PUMPED STORAGE

How HELMS PUMPED STORAGE compares

With 1,212 MW of capacity, HELMS PUMPED STORAGE ranks 8th among the 874 operating power plants Bywatts maps in California and 2nd of the 195 operating Hydro plants in the state. It accounts for about 8.9% of California's operating Hydro capacity and 1.7% of all operating capacity in the state. Nationally it is the 12th-largest of the 1,243 operating Hydro plants in the database. Commissioned in 1984, it is older than 77% 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 Fresno County with 42 other operating plants, including PANOCHE ENERGY CENTER and J S EASTWOOD.

EIA-860 lists 3 generators at the site with 1,053 MW of nameplate capacity, all hydroelectric pumped storage technology (this page's HIFLD capacity figure is 1,212 MW). The plant was a net consumer of electricity in 2024 (-107 GWh), which is typical of pumped storage.

Grid neighborhood

The nearest named substation is HELM'S PUMPED STORAGE (230 kV), about 0.7 miles away; the closest transmission line found within 10 miles is a 230 kV line owned by PACIFIC GAS & ELECTRIC COMPANY, about 0.5 miles away. Another 13 operating power plants totaling 1,415 MW sit within 25 miles; the largest is J S EASTWOOD (200 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