BIG BROWN
Retired 2018Coal power plant
- Capacity
- 1,187 MW
- Primary fuel
- Coal
- County
- Freestone County
- Operator
- BIG BROWN POWER COMPANY LLC
- EIA plant ID
- 3497
- Coordinates
- 31.8206, -96.0544
BIG BROWN, a retired 1,187 MW Coal power plant in Freestone County, Texas. It was retired in 2018, according to EIA-860.
How BIG BROWN compares
It was retired in 2018 according to EIA-860, so it is not counted in Texas's operating fleet. It shares Freestone County with one other operating plant, FREESTONE ENERGY CENTER.
Grid neighborhood
The closest transmission line found within 10 miles is a 138 kV line owned by ONCOR ELECTRIC DELIVERY CO., under 0.1 miles away. Another 2 operating power plants totaling 1,279 MW sit within 25 miles; the largest is FREESTONE ENERGY CENTER (1,036 MW, Natural Gas).
Computed by Bywatts from HIFLD power plant and transmission line records and EIA-860 retirement records; distances are straight-line. Sources and methodology
Weather peril exposure
BIG BROWN is a retired 1,187 MW coal power plant in Freestone County, TX, formerly operated by BIG BROWN POWER COMPANY LLC. Freestone County carries moderate modeled catastrophe exposure in the FEMA National Risk Index, scoring 2.2 of 5 at the 31st national percentile. Heat wave is the leading peril, rated Relatively Low by FEMA at the 78th percentile.
The Bywatts loss layer is calibrated to solar PV hardware, so it is not applied to a coal plant. The ratings below are the FEMA National Risk Index county hazard ratings for this location.
Freestone County hazard ratings
| Peril | FEMA rating | National percentile | Peril score | Events per year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Heat wave | Relatively Low | 78th | 4.1 of 5 | 15.4 |
| Ice storm | Relatively Moderate | 74th | 4.0 of 5 | 0.98 |
| Hurricane | Relatively Low | 70th | 3.8 of 5 | 0.04 |
| Wildfire | Relatively Low | 65th | 3.6 of 5 | <0.01 |
| Winter weather | Relatively Low | 62nd | 3.5 of 5 | 2.8 |
| Tornado | Relatively Moderate | 51st | 3.0 of 5 | 0.52 |
| Lightning | Relatively Moderate | 48th | 2.9 of 5 | 56.5 |
| Hail | Relatively Low | 41st | 2.6 of 5 | 3.6 |
| Strong wind | Relatively Low | 33rd | 2.3 of 5 | 2.2 |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 21st | 1.8 of 5 | <0.01 |
| Riverine flooding | Relatively Low | 19th | 1.8 of 5 | 1.0 |
Perils not assessed in Freestone 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 Freestone 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.