Columbus MS — Plant Summary
- EIA Plant ID
- 50184
- Capacity
- 128.6 MW
- Primary Fuel
- BLQ
- Technology
- Wood/Wood Waste Biomass
- Status
- Operating
- Location
- Lowndes, MS
- Operating Since
- 1982
- Generators
- 4
- Operator
- International Paper Columbus Mill
- Parent Company
- International Paper
- Annual Generation
- 506,495 MWh
- Capacity Factor
- 44.9%
- Balancing Authority
- Tennessee Valley Authority
- ISO/RTO
- —
- NERC Region
- SERC
Columbus MS
OperatingBlack Liquor
Ranked #1 of 4 Black Liquor plants in MS#4 of 62 nationally
128.6 MW Black Liquor operating in Lowndes, MS — Tennessee Valley Authority
EIAGEMWD
128.6 MW
Nameplate Capacity
4
Generators
units
Wood/Wood Waste Biomass
Technology
1982
Operating Since
Location
Coordinates
33.3600, -88.4596
County
Lowndes, MS
Nearby Plants
- Golden TriangleBESS250 MW · 16.2 km
- Golden Triangle IIBESS200 MW · 16.3 km
Ownership & Operator
| Field | EIA | GEM | Wikidata |
|---|---|---|---|
| Operator | International Paper Columbus Mill | International Paper | — |
| Owner(s) | International Paper Columbus Mill | International Paper | — |
| Status | Operating | operating | — |
Ownership Chain
About
The Columbus MS plant, located in Lowndes County, Mississippi, is a biomass-fueled power plant owned and operated by International Paper Columbus Mill, a subsidiary of International Paper. The plant has a total capacity of 128.6 MW distributed across four generators. It commenced operations in 1982, utilizing wood and wood waste biomass as its primary fuel source (BLQ). The plant operates within the Tennessee Valley Authority balancing authority and the SERC NERC region.
In the most recent year with available data, the Columbus MS plant generated 506,495 MWh of electricity, achieving a capacity factor of 44.9%. It is the largest biomass plant in Mississippi and ranks fourth among similar facilities nationally.
Generated from EIA, GEM, and public data sources
Engineering & Generators
Grid Context
NERC Region
SERC
Balancing Authority
Tennessee Valley Authority
Grid Voltage
161 kV
Regulatory Status
NR
Entity Type
Independent Power Producer
Sector
Industrial CHP
Generation
47.4K MWh
Latest Month
506.5K MWh
Annual Generation
44.9%
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
Hazards·severe weather
4-County sends crew members to assist sister cooperative in Southwest MS
SOUTHWEST MISSISSIPPI (WCBI) – After severe weather hit parts of the state, 4-County Electric Power Association sent two crews to assist its...
4-County Electric Power Association (operator)
WCBI TV·2 days ago
Hazards·ice storm
Columbus Police: No shooting at high school Thursday
DANGEROUS TRAVEL CONDITIONS PERSIST ACROSS THE MID-SOUTH DUE TO ICE AND SNOW... ...SUB-FREEZING TEMPERATURES AND POWER OUTAGES INCREASE COLD...
WTVA·4 weeks ago
Hazards·ice storm
Golden Triangle largely spared by winter storm
Severe winter weather left most of the Golden Triangle unscathed this weekend, while other parts of the state have dealt with large-scale...
The Commercial Dispatch·4 weeks ago
General
Joe Burt Cade Obituary April 24, 2023
Joe Burt Cade, 78 of Columbus, MS passed away Monday, April 24, 2023 at Baptist Memorial Hospital – Golden Triangle, Columbus, MS.
Lowndes Funeral Home & Crematory·3 months ago
Last updated 2026-03-14
View all 10 articles