Santeetlah — Plant Summary
- EIA Plant ID
- 54898
- Capacity
- 45 MW
- Primary Fuel
- Hydro
- Technology
- Conventional Hydroelectric
- Status
- Operating
- Location
- Graham, NC
- Operating Since
- 1928
- Generators
- 2
- Operator
- Brookfield Smoky Mountain Hydropower LP
- Parent Company
- —
- Annual Generation
- 138,457 MWh
- Capacity Factor
- 35.1%
- Balancing Authority
- Tennessee Valley Authority
- ISO/RTO
- —
- NERC Region
- SERC
Santeetlah
OperatingHydro
Ranked #11 of 38 Hydro plants in NC#312 of 1454 nationally
45 MW Hydro operating in Graham, NC — Tennessee Valley Authority
EIAGEMWD
45 MW
Nameplate Capacity
2
Generators
units
Conventional Hydroelectric
Technology
1928
Operating Since
Location
Coordinates
35.4476, -83.8638
County
Graham, NC
Nearby Plants
- Fontana DamHydro254.7 MW · 5.3 km
- CheoahHydro140 MW · 6.7 km
- CalderwoodHydro156.6 MW · 11.7 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 | Brookfield Smoky Mountain Hydropower LP | Brookfield Smoky Mountains Hydropower | — |
| Owner(s) | Brookfield Smoky Mountain Hydropower LP | Brookfield Smoky Mountains Hydropower LP | — |
| Status | Operating | operating | — |
Ownership Chain
GEM identifies the owner as Brookfield Smoky Mountains Hydropower LP
This entity is not yet in the GEM ownership database — chain unavailable.
About
Santeetlah is a 45 MW conventional hydroelectric power plant located in Graham County, North Carolina. The plant began operating in 1928 and consists of two generators. It is owned and operated by Brookfield Smoky Mountain Hydropower LP. Santeetlah is ranked as the 12th largest power plant in North Carolina out of 39, and 318th nationally out of 1464 plants. The plant's primary fuel source is water (WAT).
In the most recent year with available data, Santeetlah generated 138,457 MWh of electricity, resulting in a capacity factor of 35.1%. The plant operates within the Tennessee Valley Authority balancing authority and the SERC NERC region. Financial data indicates that Santeetlah has a power purchase agreement (PPA) price of $79 per MWh, according to FERC EQR filings.
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
IPP Non-CHP
Generation
12.8K MWh
Latest Month
138.5K MWh
Annual Generation
35.1%
Capacity Factor
Jan 2022 – Dec 2024
Financial DataBeta
Source: FERC Electric Quarterly ReportsHIGH
$71.5/MWh
PPA Price
Brookfield Smoky Mountain Hydropower LP
Contract Seller
Per-Unit Cost Trends
Pricing & Market Data
This plant is outside organized wholesale electricity markets (ISOs/RTOs). Nodal pricing data is not available.
News & Articles (7)Beta
General
TVA secures ten-year PPA for 377MW hydroelectric power
TVA has signed a ten-year PPA with Argo and Brookfield to procure 377MW hydropower from the Smoky Mountain hydro facilities.
Power Technology·1 years ago
General
TVA secures ten-year PPA for 377MW hydroelectric power
TVA has signed a ten-year PPA with Argo and Brookfield to procure 377MW hydropower from the Smoky Mountain hydro facilities.
Power Technology·1 years ago
General
TVA secures ten-year PPA for 377MW hydroelectric power
TVA has signed a ten-year PPA with Argo and Brookfield to procure 377MW hydropower from the Smoky Mountain hydro facilities.
Power Technology·1 years ago
General
TVA secures ten-year PPA for 377MW hydroelectric power
TVA has signed a ten-year PPA with Argo and Brookfield to procure 377MW hydropower from the Smoky Mountain hydro facilities.
Power Technology·1 years ago
Last updated 2026-03-26
View all 7 articles