Rapids Energy Center
Itasca County, Minnesota · EIA plant ID 10686 · Operator: ALLETE, Inc.
Nameplate28MWSummer 23 MW
Generators3in service
Net generation40GWh12 mo to Dec 2025
Capacity factor17%gas/coal/oil units, summer MW
Heat rate4,431Btu/kWhfossil units, electric fuel, HHV
First online1943Runs as peaking
Monthly net generation
EIA-923, all units at the plant. Net of station use; storage can go negative.
FinalPreliminary
Capacity factor by year
Net MWh ÷ (summer MW × hours), gas/coal/oil units. Each year uses that year's EIA-860 ratings; the hollow dot is the latest 12 months.
Heat rate by year
Electric fuel MMBtu × 1000 ÷ net MWh (Btu/kWh, HHV), fossil units only; CT + CA counted as one combined-cycle block.
Annual data table
| Year | Net GWh | Capacity factor | Heat rate (Btu/kWh) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2001 | 142.5 | — | — |
| 2002 | 132.1 | — | — |
| 2003 | 120.4 | — | 22,883 |
| 2004 | 133.6 | — | — |
| 2005 | 132.1 | — | 13,179 |
| 2006 | 129.4 | — | 13,179 |
| 2007 | 129.6 | — | 13,178 |
| 2008 | 110.7 | — | 13,179 |
| 2009 | 122.1 | — | 13,179 |
| 2010 | 113.6 | — | — |
| 2011 | 100.8 | — | — |
| 2012 | 108.8 | — | — |
| 2013 | 108.1 | — | 28,186 |
| 2014 | 118.7 | — | 13,179 |
| 2015 | 118 | — | 13,179 |
| 2016 | 119.8 | — | 4,614 |
| 2017 | 126.5 | — | 4,614 |
| 2018 | 118.5 | — | 4,431 |
| 2019 | 25 | 8.5% | — |
| 2020 | 48.7 | 18.3% | 4,431 |
| 2021 | 46.4 | 19.8% | 4,930 |
| 2022 | 10.5 | 0.0% | — |
| 2023 | 34.2 | 13.3% | 4,431 |
| 2024 | 40.2 | 15.6% | 4,431 |
| 2025 | 40.4 | 16.7% | 4,431 |
Generators
EIA-860 (annual) with EIA-860M updates through Sep 2026. EIA-923 reports generation by plant, prime mover and fuel, not by unit, so unit-level output isn't shown.
| Gen ID | Technology | Prime mover | Nameplate MW | Summer MW | Online | Status | Planned retirement | OEM / model |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 | Natural Gas Steam Turbine | ST | 12.5 | 13.1 | Jan 1969 | Operating | — | coming soon |
| 7 | Natural Gas Steam Turbine | ST | 14 | 9.5 | Jan 1980 | Operating | — | coming soon |
| HYD | Conventional Hydroelectric | HY | 1.9 | 0.8 | Jan 1943 | Operating | — | coming soon |
Owner / operator
Operator: ALLETE, Inc.. Ownership shares by in-service nameplate MW (EIA-860 Schedule 4; units not listed there are wholly owned by the operator).
| ALLETE, Inc. | 100.0% | 28 MW |
Nearby plants
Within 80 km.
| USS Itasca Clean Energy Solar LLC | 3 MW | 3.1 km |
| Prairie River | 1 MW | 6.5 km |
| Clay Boswell | 923 MW | 9.2 km |
| Hibbing | 36 MW | 50.3 km |