John Day — Plant Summary
- EIA Plant ID
- 3082
- Capacity
- 2160 MW
- Primary Fuel
- Hydro
- Technology
- Conventional Hydroelectric
- Status
- Operating
- Location
- Sherman, OR
- Operating Since
- 1968
- Generators
- 16
- Operator
- USACE Northwestern Division
- Parent Company
- —
- Annual Generation
- 7,589,037 MWh
- Capacity Factor
- 40.1%
- Balancing Authority
- Bonneville Power Administration
- ISO/RTO
- —
- NERC Region
- WECC
John Day
OperatingHydro
Ranked #1 of 63 Hydro plants in OR#5 of 1454 nationally
2160 MW Hydro operating in Sherman, OR — Bonneville Power Administration
EIAGEMWD
2,160 MW
Nameplate Capacity
16
Generators
units
Conventional Hydroelectric
Technology
1968
Operating Since
Location
Coordinates
45.7164, -120.6941
County
Sherman, OR
Nearby Plants
- Windy Flats Wind ProjectWind262.2 MW · 4.1 km
- Linden Wind Energy ProjectWind50 MW · 7.6 km
- Biglow Canyon Wind FarmWind449.7 MW · 9.9 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 | USACE Northwestern Division | US Army Corps of Engineers - Portland District | — |
| Owner(s) | USACE Northwestern Division | US Army Corps of Engineers - Portland District [100%] | — |
| Status | Operating | operating | — |
Ownership Chain
GEM identifies the owner as US Army Corps of Engineers - Portland District [100%]
This entity is not yet in the GEM ownership database — chain unavailable.
About
The John Day Dam is a concrete gravity run-of-the-river dam spanning the Columbia River in the northwestern United States. The dam features a navigation lock plus fish ladders on both sides. The John Day Lock has the highest lift of any U.S. lock. The reservoir impounded by the dam is Lake Umatilla, and it runs 76.4 miles (123.0 km) up the river channel to the foot of the McNary Dam. John Day Dam is part of the Columbia River Basin system of dams.
Read more on WikipediaThe John Day hydroelectric plant is located in Sherman County, Oregon. It has a total capacity of 2160 MW across 16 generators, making it the largest of 11 hydroelectric plants in the state and the fifth-largest of 194 nationwide. The plant began operating in 1968 and is operated by the USACE Northwestern Division. Its primary fuel source is water (WAT), utilizing conventional hydroelectric technology.
In the most recent year with available data, the John Day plant generated 7,589,037 MWh of electricity, achieving a capacity factor of 40.1%. The plant operates within the Western Electricity Coordinating Council (WECC) NERC region and is under the balancing authority of the Bonneville Power Administration.
Generated from EIA, GEM, and public data sources
Engineering & Generators
Grid Context
NERC Region
WECC
Balancing Authority
Bonneville Power Administration
Grid Voltage
500 kV
Regulatory Status
RE
Entity Type
Federal
Sector
Electric Utility
Generation
965.2K MWh
Latest Month
7.6M MWh
Annual Generation
40.1%
Capacity Factor
Jan 2023 – Dec 2025
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
Regulatory·ferc order
Judge Orders Spill at Northwest Dams to Aid Salmon, Despite Energy Concerns
An Oregon federal judge ordered increased spill levels at eight dams on the Columbia and Snake rivers to protect endangered salmon species.
RTO Insider·2 weeks ago
Industry·corporate
Co-Ops Plan Power Plant at Megasite
A group of Tennessee electricity providers is taking early steps toward turning part of the West Tennessee Megasite into a power plant...
Memphis Flyer·8 months ago
Hazards·drought
Drought has cost the hydropower industry billions in losses in two decades, analysis finds
Persistent drought in the West over the last two decades has limited the amount of electricity that hydropower dams can generate,...
Oregon Public Broadcasting - OPB·1 years ago
Industry·corporate
John Day Dam and Lake Umatilla
John Day Lock and Dam was authorized by Congress for power, navigation, and flood control in the 1950 Flood Control Act and amended in 1957.
USACE Northwestern Division (.mil)·2 years ago
Last updated 2026-03-14
View all 10 articles