NORTHFIELD MOUNTAIN

How NORTHFIELD MOUNTAIN compares

With 940 MW of capacity, NORTHFIELD MOUNTAIN ranks 2nd among the 125 operating power plants Bywatts maps in Massachusetts and is the largest of the 27 operating Hydro plants in the state. It accounts for about 52% of Massachusetts's operating Hydro capacity and 10% of all operating capacity in the state. Nationally it is the 23rd-largest of the 1,243 operating Hydro plants in the database. Commissioned in 1972, it is older than 74% of the 122 operating Massachusetts plants with a recorded commissioning year. Its operator, FIRSTLIGHT POWER RESOURCES, INC. - MA, runs 4 operating plants in Massachusetts totaling 1,009 MW. It shares Franklin County with 9 other operating plants, including CABOT and SHERMAN.

EIA-860 lists 4 generators at the site with 1,168 MW of nameplate capacity, all hydroelectric pumped storage technology (this page's HIFLD capacity figure is 940 MW). The plant was a net consumer of electricity in 2024 (-271 GWh), which is typical of pumped storage. Its generators came online between 1972 and 1973.

Grid neighborhood

The nearest named substation is NORTHFIELD (345 kV), about 0.2 miles away; the closest transmission line found within 10 miles is a 345 kV line owned by GREEN MOUNTAIN POWER CORP, about 0.2 miles away. Another 12 operating power plants totaling 140 MW sit within 25 miles; the largest is CABOT (62 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