Lower Molina
Mesa County, Colorado · EIA plant ID 520 · Operator: U S Bureau of Reclamation
Nameplate6MWSummer 6 MW
Generators1in service
Net generation10GWh12 mo to Dec 2025
Capacity factor20%hydro units, summer MW
Heat rate—thermal plants only
First online1962
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), hydro 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 | 11.9 | 28.4% | — |
| 2002 | 8.1 | 19.1% | — |
| 2003 | 10.5 | 25.0% | — |
| 2004 | 14.8 | 35.1% | — |
| 2005 | 19.1 | 45.3% | — |
| 2006 | 17.8 | 42.2% | — |
| 2007 | 16.4 | 39.0% | — |
| 2008 | 17.7 | 41.9% | — |
| 2009 | 12.5 | 29.7% | — |
| 2010 | 15 | 35.7% | — |
| 2011 | 17.5 | 41.6% | — |
| 2012 | 11.2 | 26.5% | — |
| 2013 | 6.6 | 13.5% | — |
| 2014 | 15.7 | 32.0% | — |
| 2015 | 14.1 | 28.7% | — |
| 2016 | 15.1 | 30.8% | — |
| 2017 | 12.7 | 25.9% | — |
| 2018 | 8.4 | 17.1% | — |
| 2019 | 16.6 | 33.9% | — |
| 2020 | 13.2 | 26.9% | — |
| 2021 | 4.3 | 8.7% | — |
| 2022 | 12.2 | 24.8% | — |
| 2023 | 18.6 | 37.9% | — |
| 2024 | 11.5 | 23.4% | — |
| 2025 | 9.9 | 20.2% | — |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Conventional Hydroelectric | HY | 5.6 | 5.6 | Dec 1962 | Operating | — | coming soon |
Owner / operator
Operator: U S Bureau of Reclamation. Ownership shares by in-service nameplate MW (EIA-860 Schedule 4; units not listed there are wholly owned by the operator).
| U S Bureau of Reclamation | 100.0% | 6 MW |
Nearby plants
Within 80 km.
| Upper Molina | 10 MW | 6.5 km |
| High Mesa CO | 22 MW | 22.6 km |
| Oak Leaf Solar XXXI LLC (CSG) | 2 MW | 24.4 km |
| Pivot Solar 3 LLC (CSG) | 2 MW | 24.9 km |
| Grand Valley Project Power Plant | retired | 27.9 km |
| Vinelands Power Plant | 5 MW | 28 km |