Wheelabrator Saugus
Essex County, Massachusetts · EIA plant ID 50880 · Operator: Wheelabrator Environmental Systems
Nameplate58MWSummer 33 MW
Generators1in service
Net generation181GWh12 mo to Aug 2026
Capacity factor63%other units, summer MW
Heat rate—thermal plants only
First online1985
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
Capacity factor by year
Net MWh ÷ (summer MW × hours), other 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.
Heat rate applies to fuel-burning (thermal) units only.
Annual data table
| Year | Net GWh | Capacity factor | Heat rate (Btu/kWh) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2001 | 237.2 | 54.2% | — |
| 2002 | 236 | 84.2% | — |
| 2003 | 236.1 | 84.2% | — |
| 2004 | 244.9 | 87.1% | — |
| 2005 | 248.6 | 88.7% | — |
| 2006 | 248.3 | 88.6% | — |
| 2007 | 217.4 | 77.5% | — |
| 2008 | 239.5 | 85.2% | — |
| 2009 | 242.5 | 86.5% | — |
| 2010 | 235 | 83.8% | — |
| 2011 | 234.8 | 83.8% | — |
| 2012 | 250 | 88.9% | — |
| 2013 | 242.7 | 86.6% | — |
| 2014 | 244.5 | 87.2% | — |
| 2015 | 245.4 | 87.5% | — |
| 2016 | 230.6 | 82.0% | — |
| 2017 | 226.3 | 80.7% | — |
| 2018 | 231.5 | 82.6% | — |
| 2019 | 180.8 | 64.5% | — |
| 2020 | 191.5 | 68.1% | — |
| 2021 | 178.6 | 63.7% | — |
| 2022 | 214.4 | 74.6% | — |
| 2023 | 221.3 | 77.0% | — |
| 2024 | 227.6 | 79.0% | — |
| 2025 | 185.1 | 64.4% | — |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GEN1 | Municipal Solid Waste | ST | 57.8 | 32.8 | Aug 1985 | Operating | — | coming soon |
Owner / operator
Operator: Wheelabrator Environmental Systems. Ownership shares by in-service nameplate MW (EIA-860 Schedule 4; units not listed there are wholly owned by the operator).
| Wheelabrator Environmental Systems | 100.0% | 58 MW |
Nearby plants
Within 80 km.
| General Electric Aircraft Engines | 2 MW | 0.6 km |
| Energizar BESS | — | 6.7 km |
| 515 Main Saugus | 1 MW | 6.7 km |
| Beebe Substation Battery Storage | 3 MW | 7.2 km |
| Wakefield MA BESS 1 | 5 MW | 7.9 km |
| Signature Breads Chelsea | 2 MW | 8 km |