Yelm — Plant Summary
- EIA Plant ID
- 3878
- Capacity
- 12 MW
- Primary Fuel
- Hydro
- Technology
- Conventional Hydroelectric
- Status
- Operating
- Location
- Thurston, WA
- Operating Since
- 1930
- Generators
- 3
- Operator
- City of Centralia - (WA)
- Parent Company
- —
- Annual Generation
- 33,669 MWh
- Capacity Factor
- 32.0%
- Balancing Authority
- Bonneville Power Administration
- ISO/RTO
- —
- NERC Region
- WECC
Yelm
OperatingHydro
Ranked #51 of 75 Hydro plants in WA#604 of 1454 nationally
12 MW Hydro operating in Thurston, WA — Bonneville Power Administration
EIAWD
12 MW
Nameplate Capacity
3
Generators
units
Conventional Hydroelectric
Technology
1930
Operating Since
Location
Coordinates
46.9749, -122.6357
County
Thurston, WA
Nearby Plants
- SkookumchuckHydro1 MW · 22.1 km
- FredericksonNatural Gas177.8 MW · 23.6 km
- Frederickson Power LPNatural Gas318.3 MW · 23.9 km
Ownership & Operator
| Field | EIA | GEM | Wikidata |
|---|---|---|---|
| Operator | City of Centralia - (WA) | — | — |
| Owner(s) | City of Centralia - (WA) | — | — |
| Status | Operating | — | — |
Ownership Chain
No GEM tracker match for this plant — ownership chain unavailable.
About
The Yelm hydroelectric plant is located in Thurston County, Washington. It has a total capacity of 12 MW across three generators, and it began operating in 1930. The plant is owned and operated by the City of Centralia, Washington. It utilizes conventional hydroelectric technology with water as its primary fuel source. The Yelm plant operates within the Bonneville Power Administration balancing authority and the Western Electricity Coordinating Council (WECC) NERC region.
In the most recent year with available data, the Yelm plant generated 33,669 MWh of electricity, achieving a capacity factor of 32.0%. The plant is ranked as the 49th largest in Washington out of 75 plants, and it holds a national ranking of 621 out of 1464 plants.
Generated from EIA, GEM, and public data sources
Engineering & Generators
Grid Context
NERC Region
WECC
Balancing Authority
Bonneville Power Administration
Grid Voltage
69 kV
Regulatory Status
RE
Entity Type
Municipal
Sector
Electric Utility
Generation
2.9K MWh
Latest Month
33.7K MWh
Annual Generation
32.0%
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
Industry·corporate
WA’s last coal-fired power plant is closing. Now renewable energy companies have eyes on the town
A step in Washington's move to a green grid, the power plant's closure is likely to mark the end of the coal economy in the region and the...
The Seattle Times·2 years ago
Industry·corporate
Hydrogen Valley vision for Washington gets boost from Aussies’ proposed plant
An Australian company is eying property next to the soon-to-close coal power plant in Centralia, Washington, to build a big hydrogen fuel production facility.
Australian company (developer)Centralia (other)
Oregon Public Broadcasting - OPB·3 years ago
Industry·corporate
How a coal town is preparing for a future without coal
The coal mine in Centralia, Washington, closed in 2006, and the city's coal-fired power plant will soon be retired.
Yale Climate Connections·4 years ago
Industry·corporate
Centralia, a Fossil Fuel Transition Success Story
When Centralia's coal mine closed, it was clear that the town's coal-fired power plant would soon follow. Then-Washington Governor Christine...
Centralia (other)Christine (executive)
Sightline Institute·4 years ago
Last updated 2026-03-14
View all 10 articles