FORT ST VRAIN

How FORT ST VRAIN compares

With 1,149 MW of capacity, FORT ST VRAIN ranks 3rd among the 114 operating power plants Bywatts maps in Colorado and is the largest of the 21 operating Natural Gas plants in the state. It accounts for about 21% of Colorado's operating Natural Gas capacity and 7.4% of all operating capacity in the state. Nationally it is the 68th-largest of the 1,185 operating Natural Gas plants in the database. Commissioned in 1996, it is newer than 54% of the 111 operating Colorado plants with a recorded commissioning year. Its operator, PUBLIC SERVICE CO OF COLORADO, runs 16 operating plants in Colorado totaling 5,892 MW. It shares Weld County with 6 other operating plants, including ROCKY MOUNTAIN ENERGY CENTER and SPINDLE HILL ENERGY CENTER.

EIA-860 lists 6 generators at the site with 1,149 MW of nameplate capacity, mainly natural gas fired combined cycle technology. Net generation was 3,850 GWh in 2024 (a 38% capacity factor), up 36% from 2022. Its generators came online between 1996 and 2009.

Grid neighborhood

The nearest named substation is FORT ST VRAIN (230 kV), about 0.1 miles away; the closest transmission line found within 10 miles is a 230 kV line owned by PUBLIC SERVICE CO OF COLORADO, under 0.1 miles away. Another 9 operating power plants totaling 1,944 MW sit within 25 miles; the largest is ROCKY MOUNTAIN ENERGY CENTER (685 MW, Natural Gas). Within 50 miles are 6 mapped data centers; the nearest is Zayo Networks in Louisville, about 24.7 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