Salton Sea Power Gen Co - Unit 1 — Plant Summary
- EIA Plant ID
- 10878
- Capacity
- 10 MW
- Primary Fuel
- Geothermal
- Technology
- Geothermal
- Status
- Operating
- Location
- Imperial, CA
- Operating Since
- 1982
- Generators
- 1
- Operator
- CalEnergy Operating Corporation
- Parent Company
- Berkshire Hathaway
- Annual Generation
- 78,423 MWh
- Capacity Factor
- 89.1%
- Balancing Authority
- Imperial Irrigation District
- ISO/RTO
- —
- NERC Region
- WECC
Salton Sea Power Gen Co - Unit 1
OperatingGeothermal
Ranked #31 of 33 Geothermal plants in CA#65 of 70 nationally
10 MW Geothermal operating in Imperial, CA — Imperial Irrigation District
EIAGEMWD
10 MW
Nameplate Capacity
1
Generators
unit
Geothermal
Technology
1982
Operating Since
Location
Coordinates
33.1580, -115.6475
County
Imperial, CA
Nearby Plants
- Salton Sea Power Gen Co - Unit 2Geothermal20 MW · 0.2 km
- Power Station 4Natural Gas191.1 MW · 0.5 km
- Salton Sea Power Gen Co - Unit 3Geothermal53.9 MW · 0.8 km
Ownership & Operator
Owner data does not fully agree across sources.
EIA typically reports the operating utility, while GEM resolves to the financial owner or parent corporation. Both can be correct.
| Field | EIA | GEM | Wikidata |
|---|---|---|---|
| Operator | CalEnergy Operating Corporation | CalEnergy Operating Corp [100%] | — |
| Owner(s) | CE Generation | Berkshire Hathaway | — |
| Status | Operating | operating | — |
Ownership Chain
About
Salton Sea Power Gen Co - Unit 1 is a 10 MW geothermal power plant located in Imperial County, California. The plant, which began operating in 1982, is owned by Berkshire Hathaway and operated by CalEnergy Operating Corporation. It utilizes a single generator to convert geothermal energy into electricity. The plant's location falls within the balancing authority of the Imperial Irrigation District and the broader Western Electricity Coordinating Council (WECC) NERC region.
In the most recent year with available data, Salton Sea Power Gen Co - Unit 1 generated 78,423 MWh of electricity, achieving a capacity factor of 89.1%. While a reliable source of geothermal power, the plant is relatively small compared to others in the state, ranking 32nd out of 33 power plants in California and 66th out of 70 nationally. Recent news coverage of the plant has focused on industry trends, regulatory matters, and potential hazards.
Generated from EIA, GEM, and public data sources
Engineering & Generators
Grid Context
NERC Region
WECC
Balancing Authority
Imperial Irrigation District
Grid Voltage
33 kV
Regulatory Status
NR
Entity Type
Independent Power Producer
Sector
IPP Non-CHP
Generation
7.1K MWh
Latest Month
78.4K MWh
Annual Generation
89.1%
Capacity Factor
Jan 2022 – Dec 2024
Financial Data
No financial data available for this plant.
Pricing & Market Data
This plant is outside organized wholesale electricity markets (ISOs/RTOs). Nodal pricing data is not available.
News & Articles (10)Beta
General
Surge Announces Former Berkshire Hathaway Energy Executive Mr. Richard Weech Joins the Board as an Independent Director
West Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - March 17, 2026) - Surge Battery Metals Inc. TSXV:NILI (OTCQX: NILIF) (FSE: DJ5) (the...
TradingView·1 weeks ago
General
Read
Much of the energy used in the United States comes from fluids pumped out of the ground. Oil and gas have been major energy sources in the country for over...
National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine·3 months ago
Industry·technology
Top 10: Geothermal Energy Projects
The world's largest geothermal energy projects can be found in the US, Italy, Mexico, Philippines, Indonesia and Iceland.
Energy Digital Magazine·8 months ago
Industry·corporate
What Next for California’s Salton Sea After $540Bn ‘White Gold’ Discovery
A massive lithium discovery beneath California's Salton Sea has set off a high-stakes push for what some have implied could be America's best shot at lithium...
California (other)
Newsweek·11 months ago
Last updated 2026-03-26
View all 10 articles