Petenwell — Plant Summary
- EIA Plant ID
- 4080
- Capacity
- 20 MW
- Primary Fuel
- Hydro
- Technology
- Conventional Hydroelectric
- Status
- Operating
- Location
- Juneau, WI
- Operating Since
- 1949
- Generators
- 4
- Operator
- Wisconsin River Power Company
- Parent Company
- —
- Annual Generation
- 108,385 MWh
- Capacity Factor
- 61.8%
- Balancing Authority
- Midcontinent Independent Transmission System Operator, Inc..
- ISO/RTO
- MISO
- NERC Region
- MRO
Petenwell
OperatingHydro
Ranked #9 of 61 Hydro plants in WI#477 of 1454 nationally
20 MW Hydro operating in Juneau, WI — Midcontinent Independent Transmission System Operator, Inc..
EIAWD
20 MW
Nameplate Capacity
4
Generators
units
Conventional Hydroelectric
Technology
1949
Operating Since
Location
Coordinates
44.0573, -90.0218
County
Juneau, WI
Nearby Plants
- Whistling Winds DPC SolarSolar1.5 MW · 10.2 km
- New Lisbon SolarSolar2.5 MW · 21.5 km
- Castle RockHydro15 MW · 22.0 km
Ownership & Operator
| Field | EIA | GEM | Wikidata |
|---|---|---|---|
| Operator | Wisconsin River Power Company | — | — |
| Owner(s) | Wisconsin Power & Light Co, Wisconsin Public Service Corp | — | — |
| Status | Operating | — | — |
Ownership Chain
No GEM tracker match for this plant — ownership chain unavailable.
About
Petenwell is a 20 MW hydroelectric power plant located in Juneau County, Wisconsin. The plant began operating in 1949 and utilizes four generators. It is owned and operated by Wisconsin River Power Company. The primary fuel source is water (WAT), and the plant uses conventional hydroelectric technology. Petenwell ranks as the 12th largest of 65 hydroelectric plants in Wisconsin, and 485th out of 1464 nationally.
The plant operates within the Midcontinent Independent Transmission System Operator (MISO) balancing authority. The most recent annual generation data indicates an output of 108,385 MWh, resulting in a capacity factor of 61.8%. Financial data indicates an installed cost of $1,052 per kW. The plant's financial information is sourced from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC). Recent news articles covering the plant have focused on hazards.
Generated from EIA, GEM, and public data sources
Engineering & Generators
Grid Context
NERC Region
MRO
Balancing Authority
Midcontinent Independent Transmission System Operator, Inc..
Grid Voltage
138 kV
Regulatory Status
RE
Entity Type
Investor-Owned Utility
Sector
Electric Utility
Generation
7.3K MWh
Latest Month
108.4K MWh
Annual Generation
61.8%
Capacity Factor
Jan 2022 – Dec 2024
Financial DataBeta
Source: FERC Form 1HIGH
$1,108/kW
Installed Cost
$14.2/MWh
Operating Cost
Wisconsin River Power Company
Reporting Utility
Cumulative Installed Cost
Per-Unit Cost Trends
Pricing & Market Data
HIGH confidencePoint of Interconnection
Nearest Substation
PETENWELL · 138 kV
Substation Distance
< 10 km
Coord Source
OSM spatial
Market Position
ISO/RTO Market
MISO
LMP Node
WPS.WPSM(50%)/ALTE.ALTE(50%)
Pricing Hub
MICHIGAN.HUB
Node Source
EIA-860 direct report
News & Articles (8)Beta
Hazards·other
Wisconsin River Power Company warns of safety risks during dam drawdowns
The Wisconsin River Power Company, or WRPCO, is urging caution around its Petenwell Dam over the next few months as the utility performs its...
Wisconsin River Power Company (operator)
WSAW·2 months ago
Hazards·other
Caution urged around dams as annual drawdowns near
Wisconsin River Power Company is reminding people of important safety steps to take as it begins its yearly drawdowns at its hydroelectric power plants.
Wisconsin River Power Company (operator)
WSAW·1 years ago
General
The Largest Bigmouth Buffalo Ever Caught in Wisconsin Was the Size of a Child
Wisconsin is a haven for anglers. The midwestern state has over 15,000 lakes, including portions of Lake Michigan and Lake Superior.
A-Z Animals·2 years ago
General
May 31 is Dam Safety Awareness Day in Wisconsin
Over 400 deaths nationally have occurred in the past four decades due to accidents at or near dams.
WEAU·4 years ago
Last updated 2026-03-26
View all 8 articles