WOLF CREEK
OperatingHydro power plant
- Capacity
- 270 MW
- Primary fuel
- Hydro
- County
- Russell County
- Operator
- USCE-NASHVILLE DISTRICT
- Status
- Operating
- Commissioned
- 1951
- EIA plant ID
- 1380
- Generators
- 6
- Technology
- Conventional Hydroelectric
- Net generation (2024)
- 724 GWh
- Capacity factor (2024, EIA nameplate)
- 31%
- Data vintage
- EIA-860 2024 final; EIA-923 2022-2024 final
- Coordinates
- 36.8695, -85.1466
WOLF CREEK, a 270 MW Hydro power plant in Russell County, Kentucky. Operated by USCE-NASHVILLE DISTRICT, commissioned 1951.
How WOLF CREEK compares
With 270 MW of capacity, WOLF CREEK ranks 16th among the 31 operating power plants Bywatts maps in Kentucky and is the largest of the 6 operating Hydro plants in the state. It accounts for about 34% of Kentucky's operating Hydro capacity and 1.3% of all operating capacity in the state. Nationally it is the 69th-largest of the 1,243 operating Hydro plants in the database. Commissioned in 1951, it is older than 83% of the 30 operating Kentucky plants with a recorded commissioning year. Its operator, USCE-NASHVILLE DISTRICT, runs 3 operating plants in Kentucky totaling 470 MW.
EIA-860 lists 6 generators at the site with 270 MW of nameplate capacity, all conventional hydroelectric technology. Net generation was 724 GWh in 2024 (a 31% capacity factor), down 22% from 2022. Its generators came online between 1951 and 1952.
Grid neighborhood
The nearest named substation is WOLF CREEK (161 kV), about 0.1 miles away; the closest transmission line found within 10 miles is a 161 kV line owned by EAST KENTUCKY POWER COOP, INC, under 0.1 miles away.
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
Weather peril exposure
WOLF CREEK is a 270 MW hydro power plant in Russell County, KY, operated by USCE-NASHVILLE DISTRICT, commissioned in 1951. Russell County carries high modeled catastrophe exposure in the FEMA National Risk Index, scoring 3.6 of 5 at the 65th national percentile. Winter weather is the leading peril, rated Relatively Moderate by FEMA at the 80th percentile.
The Bywatts loss layer is calibrated to solar PV hardware, so it is not applied to a hydro plant. The ratings below are the FEMA National Risk Index county hazard ratings for this location.
Russell County hazard ratings
| Peril | FEMA rating | National percentile | Peril score | Events per year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Winter weather | Relatively Moderate | 80th | 4.2 of 5 | 7.7 |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | 73rd | 3.9 of 5 | 0.15 |
| Lightning | Relatively Low | 71st | 3.8 of 5 | 55.0 |
| Hail | Relatively Low | 70th | 3.8 of 5 | 2.9 |
| Strong wind | Relatively Moderate | 69th | 3.7 of 5 | 5.5 |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 68th | 3.7 of 5 | <0.01 |
| Ice storm | Relatively Low | 63rd | 3.5 of 5 | 0.60 |
| Hurricane | Very Low | 50th | 3.0 of 5 | 0.03 |
| Wildfire | Very Low | 45th | 2.8 of 5 | <0.01 |
| Riverine flooding | Relatively Low | 28th | 2.1 of 5 | 0.68 |
| Heat wave | Very Low | 22nd | 1.9 of 5 | 2.7 |
Perils not assessed in Russell 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 |
|---|---|
| Coastal flooding | FEMA rating is "Not Applicable" for this county |
Model hail, wind and flood exposure for Russell 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.