J C McNeil — Plant Summary
- EIA Plant ID
- 589
- Capacity
- 59.5 MW
- Primary Fuel
- Wood
- Technology
- Wood/Wood Waste Biomass
- Status
- Operating
- Location
- Chittenden, VT
- Operating Since
- 1984
- Generators
- 1
- Operator
- City of Burlington Electric - (VT)
- Parent Company
- Burlington Electric Department
- Annual Generation
- 209,276 MWh
- Capacity Factor
- 40.2%
- Balancing Authority
- ISO New England Inc.
- ISO/RTO
- ISONE
- NERC Region
- NPCC
J C McNeil
OperatingWood Waste
Ranked #1 of 3 Wood Waste plants in VT#21 of 108 nationally
59.5 MW Wood Waste operating in Chittenden, VT — ISO New England Inc.
EIAGEMWD
59.5 MW
Nameplate Capacity
1
Generators
unit
Wood/Wood Waste Biomass
Technology
1984
Operating Since
Location
Coordinates
44.4917, -73.2081
County
Chittenden, VT
Nearby Plants
- Chace Mill Winooski OneHydro7.5 MW · 1.6 km
- Colchester 16Distillate Oil18 MW · 3.0 km
- Gorge 18Hydro3 MW · 3.1 km
Ownership & Operator
| Field | EIA | GEM | Wikidata |
|---|---|---|---|
| Operator | City of Burlington Electric - (VT) | Burlington Electric Department | — |
| Owner(s) | City of Burlington Electric - (VT), Green Mountain Power Corp, Vermont Public Power Supply Authority | Burlington Electric Department | — |
| Status | Operating | operating | — |
Ownership Chain
About
The J C McNeil Generating Station is a 59.5 MW wood-fired biomass plant located in Chittenden County, Vermont. It began operating in 1984 and is owned and operated by the Burlington Electric Department. The plant is the largest of three power plants in Vermont and ranks 13th out of 97 biomass plants nationally. It has one generator utilizing wood/wood waste biomass technology.
In the most recent year of data, the plant generated 209,276 MWh, achieving a capacity factor of 40.2%. The plant operates within the ISO New England Inc. balancing authority and the Northeast Power Coordinating Council (NPCC) NERC region. The installed cost of the plant was $1756.01 per kW, according to FERC data.
Generated from EIA, GEM, and public data sources
Engineering & Generators
Grid Context
NERC Region
NPCC
Balancing Authority
ISO New England Inc.
Grid Voltage
34.5 kV
Regulatory Status
RE
Entity Type
Municipal
Sector
Electric Utility
Generation
21.3K MWh
Latest Month
209.3K MWh
Annual Generation
40.2%
Capacity Factor
Jan 2023 – Dec 2025
Financial DataBeta
Source: FERC Form 1HIGH
$2,025/kW
Installed Cost
$120.0/MWh
Operating Cost
Green Mountain Power Corp
Reporting Utility
Annual Capital & Operating Expenses
Cumulative Installed Cost
Per-Unit Cost Trends
Pricing & Market Data
HIGH confidenceMarket Position
ISO/RTO Market
ISO-NE
LMP Node
474
Pricing Hub
.Z.VERMONT
Node Source
EIA-860 direct report
News & Articles (10)Beta
Industry·earnings
Burning Cash: McNeil Opponents Zero In on the Plant’s Losses
Burlington's wood-fired power generator is on track to lose $8 million this year, and environmental activists say enough is enough.
McNeil (operator)Burlington (operator)
Seven Days Vermont·1 years ago
General
Burning Cash: McNeil Opponents Zero In on the Plant’s Losses
Burlington's wood-fired power generator is on track to lose $8 million this year, and environmental activists say enough is enough.
Seven Days Vermont·1 years ago
Regulatory·state puc
Operationalizing Energy Democracy: Challenges and Opportunities in Vermont's Renewable Energy Transformation
This research explores how energy democracy principles are being operationalized in the state of Vermont.
Vermont (regulator)
Frontiers·1 years ago
General
Burlington McNeil plant expansion runs afoul of Vermont Climate Council biomass group
The City of Burlington's plans to expand the McNeil power plant could hit a brick wall in the form of a negative recommendation to the...
Vermont Daily Chronicle·3 years ago
Last updated 2026-03-26
View all 10 articles