Desert Star Energy Center — Plant Summary
- EIA Plant ID
- 55077
- Capacity
- 537.3 MW
- Primary Fuel
- Natural Gas
- Technology
- Natural Gas Fired Combined Cycle
- Status
- Operating
- Location
- Clark, NV
- Operating Since
- 2000
- Generators
- 3
- Operator
- Desert Star Energy Center SDG&E
- Parent Company
- —
- Annual Generation
- 375,029 MWh
- Capacity Factor
- 7.9%
- Balancing Authority
- California Independent System Operator
- ISO/RTO
- CAISO
- NERC Region
- WECC
Desert Star Energy Center
OperatingNatural Gas
Ranked #8 of 16 Natural Gas plants in NV#460 of 2009 nationally
537.3 MW Natural Gas operating in Clark, NV — California Independent System Operator
EIAWD
537.3 MW
Nameplate Capacity
3
Generators
units
Natural Gas Fired Combined Cycle
Technology
2000
Operating Since
Location
Coordinates
35.7889, -114.9942
County
Clark, NV
Nearby Plants
- LauderdaleNatural Gas1215.9 MW · 0.1 km
- CM10Solar10 MW · 0.4 km
- CM48Solar48 MW · 0.8 km
Ownership & Operator
| Field | EIA | GEM | Wikidata |
|---|---|---|---|
| Operator | Desert Star Energy Center SDG&E | — | — |
| Owner(s) | Desert Star Energy Center SDG&E | — | — |
| Status | Operating | — | — |
Ownership Chain
No GEM tracker match for this plant — ownership chain unavailable.
About
Desert Star Energy Center is a 537.3 MW natural gas-fired combined cycle power plant located in Clark County, Nevada. The plant began operating in 2000 and is owned and operated by Desert Star Energy Center SDG&E. It consists of 3 generators using natural gas as its primary fuel. The plant operates within the California Independent System Operator (CAISO) balancing authority and the Western Electricity Coordinating Council (WECC) NERC region.
In the most recent year with available data, Desert Star Energy Center generated 375,029 MWh, resulting in a capacity factor of 7.9%. The plant is ranked as the 8th largest in Nevada out of 13 plants, and nationally it is ranked 465th out of 945 plants. Financial data indicates an installed cost of $612.24 per kW, according to FERC data.
Generated from EIA, GEM, and public data sources
Engineering & Generators
Grid Context
NERC Region
WECC
Balancing Authority
California Independent System Operator
Grid Voltage
230 kV
Regulatory Status
RE
Entity Type
Investor-Owned Utility
Sector
Electric Utility
Generation
472 MWh
Latest Month
375.0K MWh
Annual Generation
7.9%
Capacity Factor
Jan 2023 – Dec 2025
Financial DataBeta
Source: FERC Form 1HIGH
$676/kW
Installed Cost
$50.0/MWh
Operating Cost
San Diego Gas & Electric Company
Reporting Utility
Annual Capital & Operating Expenses
Cumulative Installed Cost
Per-Unit Cost Trends
Pricing & Market Data
HIGH confidencePoint of Interconnection
Nearest Substation
Merchant Substation · 230 kV
Substation Distance
< 10 km
Coord Source
OSM spatial
Market Position
ISO/RTO Market
CAISO
LMP Node
MRCHNT13_7_N002
Pricing Hub
TH_SP15_GEN-APND
Secondary Zone
TH_ZP26_GEN-APND
Location Type
Pricing Node
Node Source
EIA-860 direct report
News & Articles (10)Beta
Hazards·other
Man found dead after crash outside power facility in southern Nevada
A man fatally shot himself after his rental car, filled with weapons and explosive materials, breached the perimeter of a power facility in...
NBC News·3 weeks ago
General
‘Massive’: The sprawling data center boom in the Northern Nevada desert
Tahoe Reno Industrial Center drives expansion of high-tech hubs.
Las Vegas Review-Journal·7 months ago
Industry·corporate
‘Massive’: The sprawling data center boom in the Northern Nevada desert
Tahoe Reno Industrial Center drives expansion of high-tech hubs.
Tahoe Reno Industrial Center (operator)
Las Vegas Review-Journal·7 months ago
Industry·corporate
Nevada’s data center boom is a power, water conundrum
Nevadans could one day be stuck with higher energy bills, an overwhelmed power grid and an even drier desert because of data centers that...
Las Vegas Review-Journal·8 months ago
Last updated 2026-03-14
View all 10 articles