Waters River
Essex County, Massachusetts · EIA plant ID 1678 · Operator: City of Peabody - (MA)
×21 MW natural gas retired since 2020 (latest Jun 2026)
Nameplate44MWSummer 30 MW
Generators1in service
Net generation6GWh12 mo to Dec 2025
Capacity factor1%gas/coal/oil units, summer MW
Heat rate11,596Btu/kWhfossil units, electric fuel, HHV
First online1990Runs as rarely runs
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 | 22.3 | 6.1% | 12,660 |
| 2002 | 11.2 | 2.9% | 12,097 |
| 2003 | 7.7 | 2.0% | 12,122 |
| 2004 | 7.8 | 2.0% | 12,207 |
| 2005 | 28.2 | 7.3% | 12,773 |
| 2006 | 13.6 | 3.5% | 12,187 |
| 2007 | 2.7 | 0.7% | 12,039 |
| 2008 | 10 | 2.5% | 5,994 |
| 2009 | 4 | 1.0% | 11,995 |
| 2010 | 19.4 | 4.7% | 11,997 |
| 2011 | 12.4 | 3.0% | 12,039 |
| 2012 | 12.7 | 3.1% | 12,335 |
| 2013 | 7.2 | 1.8% | 12,645 |
| 2014 | 10.6 | 2.6% | 12,055 |
| 2015 | 10.6 | 2.6% | 13,778 |
| 2016 | 6.1 | 1.5% | 13,643 |
| 2017 | 14.3 | 3.5% | 12,085 |
| 2018 | 4.8 | 1.2% | 11,135 |
| 2019 | 2.2 | 0.5% | 12,849 |
| 2020 | 3.3 | 0.8% | 13,096 |
| 2021 | 3.1 | 0.8% | 12,607 |
| 2022 | 6.3 | 1.6% | 11,714 |
| 2023 | 4.3 | 1.1% | 12,655 |
| 2024 | 4.6 | 1.1% | 12,209 |
| 2025 | 5.5 | 1.4% | 11,596 |
Fuel capability
Gas-fired turbines (CT/GT/CA/CS) that can also burn liquid fuel. EIA-860 Schedule 3 for capability, EIA-923 for actual burn.
StatusLikely still dual fuel
Liquid fuel burned · 36 mo42,980 MMBtu
Last month with liquid burnNov 2025
Switch while operatingYes
Net summer MW on gas30
Net summer MW on oil30
Time gas → oilup to 1 h (EIA 1H)
Time oil → gasup to 1 h (EIA 1H)
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | Natural Gas Fired Combustion Turbine | GT | 43.6 | 30 | Nov 1990 | Operating | — | coming soon |
| 3 | Natural Gas Fired Combustion Turbine | GT | 60 | 55 | planned Dec 2022 | not_current | — | coming soon |
| 1 | Natural Gas Fired Combustion Turbine | GT | 21.3 | 16 | Dec 1971 | Retired Jun 2026 | — | coming soon |
Owner / operator
Operator: City of Peabody - (MA). Ownership shares by in-service nameplate MW (EIA-860 Schedule 4; units not listed there are wholly owned by the operator).
| City of Peabody - (MA) | 100.0% | 44 MW |
Nearby plants
Within 80 km.
| MMWEC Simple Cycle Gas Turbine | 65 MW | 0.1 km |
| Rousselot Inc | retired | 2.5 km |
| IXYS - Beverly | 3 MW | 4.3 km |
| Salem Harbor Power Development LP | 798 MW | 4.5 km |
| Kearsarge 100 Sohier Rd | 4 MW | 4.6 km |
| Beverly | 2 MW | 5.4 km |