ZION ENERGY CENTER

How ZION ENERGY CENTER compares

With 597 MW of capacity, ZION ENERGY CENTER ranks 20th among the 158 operating power plants Bywatts maps in Illinois and 9th of the 50 operating Natural Gas plants in the state. It accounts for about 4.0% of Illinois's operating Natural Gas capacity and 1.5% of all operating capacity in the state. Nationally it is the 260th-largest of the 1,185 operating Natural Gas plants in the database. Commissioned in 2002, it is newer than 62% of the 150 operating Illinois plants with a recorded commissioning year. It shares Lake County with one other operating plant, NORTH CHICAGO ENERGY CENTER.

EIA-860 lists 3 generators at the site with 597 MW of nameplate capacity, all natural gas fired combustion turbine technology. Net generation was 364 GWh in 2024 (a 6.9% capacity factor), up 10% from 2022. Its generators came online between 2002 and 2003.

Grid neighborhood

The nearest named substation is ZION ENERGY CENTER (345 kV), under 0.1 miles away; the closest transmission line found within 10 miles is a 345 kV line owned by COMMONWEALTH EDISON CO, under 0.1 miles away. Another 3 operating power plants totaling 403 MW sit within 25 miles; the largest is PARIS (382 MW, Natural Gas). Within 50 miles are 10 mapped data centers; the nearest is Equinix CH3 - Elk Grove in Elk Grove Village, about 33.1 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