SANTA MARIA COGEN PLANT
OperatingNatural Gas power plant
- Capacity
- 9 MW
- Primary fuel
- Natural Gas
- County
- Santa Barbara County
- Operator
- WELLHEAD SERVICES INC
- Status
- Operating
- EIA plant ID
- 10733
- Coordinates
- 34.9443, -120.4579
SANTA MARIA COGEN PLANT, a 9 MW Natural Gas power plant in Santa Barbara County, California. Operated by WELLHEAD SERVICES INC.
Weather peril exposure
SANTA MARIA COGEN PLANT is a 9 MW natural gas power plant in Santa Barbara County, CA, operated by WELLHEAD SERVICES INC. Santa Barbara County carries low modeled catastrophe exposure in the FEMA National Risk Index, scoring 1.7 of 5 at the 17th national percentile. Earthquake is the leading peril, rated Relatively High by FEMA at the 98th percentile.
The Bywatts loss layer is calibrated to solar PV hardware, so it is not applied to a natural gas plant. The ratings below are the FEMA National Risk Index county hazard ratings for this location.
Santa Barbara County hazard ratings
| Peril | FEMA rating | National percentile | Peril score | Events per year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Earthquake | Relatively High | 98th | 4.9 of 5 | 0.05 |
| Wildfire | Relatively High | 96th | 4.8 of 5 | <0.01 |
| Riverine flooding | Relatively High | 95th | 4.8 of 5 | 1.5 |
| Heat wave | Relatively Low | 73rd | 3.9 of 5 | 7.3 |
| Coastal flooding | Relatively Low | 27th | 2.1 of 5 | 1.1 |
| Tornado | Very Low | 2nd | 1.1 of 5 | 0.10 |
| Lightning | Relatively Low | 1st | 1.1 of 5 | 4.3 |
| Winter weather | Very Low | 1st | 1.0 of 5 | 3.8 |
| Strong wind | Very Low | 1st | 1.0 of 5 | 0.02 |
| Hail | Very Low | 0th | 1.0 of 5 | 0.03 |
Perils not assessed in Santa Barbara County
These perils carry no usable National Risk Index figure for this county, so they are excluded from the scoring rather than scored zero. A zero would claim the peril was assessed and found benign.
| Peril | Why it is not scored |
|---|---|
| Hurricane | FEMA rating is "No Rating" for this county |
| Ice storm | FEMA rating is "Not Applicable" for this county |
Model hail, wind and flood exposure for Santa Barbara County in the weather risk calculator
Ratings are the FEMA National Risk Index county hazard ratings; the peril score is a Bywatts transform of the FEMA national percentile. Full data sources and the solar vulnerability methodology are in the weather risk calculator.
Modeled estimate for screening and negotiation. Built from FEMA National Risk Index county hazard data and a solar vulnerability layer documented above. Not a quote, a binder, or actuarial advice, and not a substitute for a carrier's own model. Hazard data: FEMA National Risk Index December 2025, synced 2026-07-24. Resolution is county level, not site level.