Helms Pumped Storage
Fresno County, California · EIA plant ID 6100 · Operator: Pacific Gas & Electric Co
Nameplate1,053MWSummer 1,212 MW
Generators3in service
Net generation-424GWh12 mo to Aug 2026
Capacity factor—not meaningful for storage
Heat rate—thermal plants only
First online1984
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), primary-fuel units. Each year uses that year's EIA-860 ratings; the hollow dot is the latest 12 months.
No capacity factor available.
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 | -450.6 | — | — |
| 2002 | -443.7 | — | — |
| 2003 | -376.6 | — | — |
| 2004 | -266 | — | — |
| 2005 | -89 | — | — |
| 2006 | -359.9 | — | — |
| 2007 | -286.5 | — | — |
| 2008 | -227.3 | — | — |
| 2009 | -235.4 | — | — |
| 2010 | -298 | — | — |
| 2011 | -353.9 | — | — |
| 2012 | -150 | — | — |
| 2013 | -308.5 | — | — |
| 2014 | -209.5 | — | — |
| 2015 | -250.4 | — | — |
| 2016 | -498.6 | — | — |
| 2017 | -290.2 | — | — |
| 2018 | -412.8 | — | — |
| 2019 | -298.4 | — | — |
| 2020 | -354.5 | — | — |
| 2021 | -427.9 | — | — |
| 2022 | -299.2 | — | — |
| 2023 | -359.3 | — | — |
| 2024 | -107.1 | — | — |
| 2025 | -467.2 | — | — |
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 | Hydroelectric Pumped Storage | PS | 351 | 404 | Jun 1984 | Operating | — | coming soon |
| 2 | Hydroelectric Pumped Storage | PS | 351 | 404 | Jun 1984 | Operating | — | coming soon |
| 3 | Hydroelectric Pumped Storage | PS | 351 | 404 | Jun 1984 | Operating | — | coming soon |
Owner / operator
Operator: Pacific Gas & Electric Co. Ownership shares by in-service nameplate MW (EIA-860 Schedule 4; units not listed there are wholly owned by the operator).
| Pacific Gas & Electric Co | 100.0% | 1,053 MW |
Nearby plants
Within 80 km.
| Haas | 135 MW | 12.2 km |
| Balch 1 | 31 MW | 17.1 km |
| Balch 2 | 97 MW | 17.1 km |
| Kings River PH | 49 MW | 23.1 km |
| J S Eastwood | 200 MW | 28.8 km |
| Portal | 11 MW | 30.4 km |