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El Centro Hybrid

Imperial County, California · EIA plant ID 389 · Operator: Imperial Irrigation District
Natural gasBatteriesNatural Gas Fired Combined CycleNatural Gas Steam TurbineBA: IID

113 MW planned (Natural Gas Internal Combustion Engine), first expected Sep 2029 · EIA-860M

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Nameplate388MWSummer 323 MW
Generators7in service
Net generation870GWh12 mo to Aug 2026
Capacity factor34%gas/coal/oil units, summer MW
Heat rate8,721Btu/kWhfossil units, electric fuel, HHV
First online1952Runs as baseload

The 12-month figures include preliminary EIA-923 months, which EIA revises. Final data runs through Dec 2025.

Monthly net generation

EIA-923, all units at the plant. Net of station use; storage can go negative.
FinalPreliminary
-50050100150GWh2001200320052007200920112013201520172019202120232025

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.
0%20%40%2005201020152020202534.0% · 12 mo

Heat rate by year

Electric fuel MMBtu × 1000 ÷ net MWh (Btu/kWh, HHV), fossil units only; CT + CA counted as one combined-cycle block.
7,0008,0009,00010,00011,000200520102015202020258,721 Btu/kWh · 12 mo
Annual data table
YearNet GWhCapacity factorHeat rate (Btu/kWh)
2001492.2——
2002421.7——
2003489.424.7%10,340
2004510.325.7%10,072
2005552.827.9%9,871
2006442.922.4%10,447
2007431.421.8%10,478
2008508.525.6%10,660
200952326.4%10,612
2010578.429.2%10,760
2011771.147.9%9,861
2012912.447.2%10,281
20131,186.141.6%8,637
20141,16640.9%8,524
201599936.3%8,847
20161,032.737.4%8,830
20171,044.638.1%8,310
2018750.527.4%8,186
2019638.323.3%8,207
2020633.424.7%8,412
2021952.737.2%8,736
20221,042.340.7%8,627
20231,086.942.4%8,685
20241,038.740.5%8,556
20251,089.742.6%8,505

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.
StatusListed in EIA-860, no liquid burn in 36 months
Liquid fuel burned · 36 mo0 MMBtu
Last month with liquid burn—
Switch while operatingYes
Net summer MW on gas71
Net summer MW on oil71
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 IDTechnologyPrime moverNameplate MWSummer MWOnlineStatusPlanned retirementOEM / model
2Natural Gas Fired Combined CycleCA34.532.5Aug 1952Operating—coming soon
2ANatural Gas Fired Combined CycleCT89.973Jun 1993Operating—coming soon
30Natural Gas Fired Combined CycleCA65.942Oct 2012Operating—coming soon
31Natural Gas Fired Combined CycleCT43.239Oct 2012Operating—coming soon
32Natural Gas Fired Combined CycleCT43.239Oct 2012Operating—coming soon
4Natural Gas Steam TurbineST81.667.6Aug 1968Operating · retirement plannedAug 2029coming soon
BESSBatteriesBA3030Oct 2016Operating—coming soon
RICE1Natural Gas Internal Combustion EngineIC18.818.6planned Sep 2029Planned—coming soon
RICE2Natural Gas Internal Combustion EngineIC18.818.6planned Sep 2029Planned—coming soon
RICE3Natural Gas Internal Combustion EngineIC18.818.6planned Sep 2029Planned—coming soon
RICE4Natural Gas Internal Combustion EngineIC18.818.6planned Sep 2029Planned—coming soon
RICE5Natural Gas Internal Combustion EngineIC18.818.6planned Sep 2029Planned—coming soon
RICE6Natural Gas Internal Combustion EngineIC18.818.6planned Sep 2029Planned—coming soon
3Natural Gas Steam TurbineST5042Nov 1957Retired Sep 2010—coming soon

Owner / operator

Operator: Imperial Irrigation District. Ownership shares by in-service nameplate MW (EIA-860 Schedule 4; units not listed there are wholly owned by the operator).
Imperial Irrigation District100.0%388 MW

Nearby plants

Within 80 km.
Sol Orchard El Centro PV20 MW0.6 km
IVC Solar3 MW4.5 km
Valencia 33 MW9.3 km
Second Imperial Geothermal75 MW9.8 km
Heber Geothermal92 MW10 km
Heber Solar11 MW10 km