COLUMBIA

How COLUMBIA compares

With 1,023 MW of capacity, COLUMBIA ranks 6th among the 141 operating power plants Bywatts maps in Wisconsin and 4th of the 15 operating Coal plants in the state. It accounts for about 16% of Wisconsin's operating Coal capacity and 6.3% of all operating capacity in the state. Nationally it is the 114th-largest of the 324 operating Coal plants in the database. Commissioned in 1975, it is newer than 60% of the 141 operating Wisconsin plants with a recorded commissioning year. Its operator, WISCONSIN POWER & LIGHT CO, runs 8 operating plants in Wisconsin totaling 3,001 MW. It shares Columbia County with 2 other operating plants, GLACIER HILLS and KILBOURN.

EIA-860 lists 2 generators at the site with 1,112 MW of nameplate capacity, all conventional steam coal technology. Net generation was 4,787 GWh in 2024 (a 49% capacity factor), up 19% from 2022. Its generators came online between 1975 and 1978.

Grid neighborhood

The nearest named substation is COLUMBIA (345 kV), about 0.1 miles away; the closest transmission line found within 10 miles is a 345 kV line, under 0.1 miles away. Another 3 operating power plants totaling 203 MW sit within 25 miles; the largest is GLACIER HILLS (162 MW, Wind). Within 50 miles are 4 mapped data centers; the nearest is Network 222 in Madison, about 28.6 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