Amistad Dam & Power — Plant Summary
- EIA Plant ID
- 6128
- Capacity
- 66 MW
- Primary Fuel
- Hydro
- Technology
- Conventional Hydroelectric
- Status
- Operating
- Location
- Val Verde, TX
- Operating Since
- 1983
- Generators
- 2
- Operator
- International Bound & Wtr Comm
- Parent Company
- —
- Annual Generation
- 50,580 MWh
- Capacity Factor
- 8.8%
- Balancing Authority
- Electric Reliability Council of Texas, Inc.
- ISO/RTO
- ERCOT
- NERC Region
- TRE
Amistad Dam & Power
OperatingHydro
Ranked #4 of 24 Hydro plants in TX#259 of 1454 nationally
66 MW Hydro operating in Val Verde, TX — Electric Reliability Council of Texas, Inc.
EIAGEMWD
66 MW
Nameplate Capacity
2
Generators
units
Conventional Hydroelectric
Technology
1983
Operating Since
Location
Coordinates
29.4498, -101.0601
County
Val Verde, TX
Nearby Plants
- WAL447Natural Gas1.2 MW · 16.5 km
- Tierra SecaBESS100 MW · 21.3 km
- Hamilton BESSBESS9.9 MW · 22.0 km
Ownership & Operator
| Field | EIA | GEM | Wikidata |
|---|---|---|---|
| Operator | International Bound & Wtr Comm | International Bound & Wtr Comm | — |
| Owner(s) | International Bound & Wtr Comm | International Bound & Wtr Comm | — |
| Status | Operating | operating | — |
Ownership Chain
GEM identifies the owner as International Bound & Wtr Comm
This entity is not yet in the GEM ownership database — chain unavailable.
About
Amistad Dam is a major embankment dam across the Rio Grande between Texas, United States, and Coahuila, Mexico. Built to provide irrigation water storage, flood control, and hydropower generation, it is the largest dam along the international boundary reach of the Rio Grande. The dam is over 6 miles (9.7 km) long, lies mostly on the Mexican side of the border, and forms Amistad Reservoir. It supplies water for irrigation in the Rio Grande Valley, 574 miles (924 km) upstream of the Rio Grande's mouth on the Gulf of Mexico at Brownsville, Texas/Matamoros, Tamaulipas.
Read more on WikipediaAmistad Dam & Power is a 66 MW hydroelectric power plant located in Val Verde County, Texas. The plant began operating in 1983 and is owned and operated by the International Boundary and Water Commission. It utilizes two conventional hydroelectric generators, with water as its primary fuel source. The plant is connected to the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) grid and falls within the TRE NERC region.
In the most recent year with available data, Amistad Dam & Power generated 50,580 MWh of electricity, resulting in a capacity factor of 8.8%. The plant is the fourth-largest hydroelectric facility in Texas out of 24, and ranks 262nd nationally among 1,464 hydroelectric plants. News coverage related to the plant has included hazards, grid issues, and regulatory matters.
Generated from EIA, GEM, and public data sources
Engineering & Generators
Grid Context
NERC Region
TRE
Balancing Authority
Electric Reliability Council of Texas, Inc.
Grid Voltage
138 kV
Regulatory Status
RE
Entity Type
Federal
Sector
Electric Utility
Generation
2.8K MWh
Latest Month
50.6K MWh
Annual Generation
8.8%
Capacity Factor
Jan 2022 – Dec 2024
Financial Data
No financial data available for this plant.
Pricing & Market Data
HIGH confidenceMarket Position
ISO/RTO Market
ERCOT
LMP Node
AMISTAD_ALL
Pricing Hub
HB_SOUTH
Secondary Zone
LZ_SOUTH
Location Type
Resource Node
Node Source
Curated node match
News & Articles (10)Beta
Hazards·flooding
Texas Reservoir Map Shows How Water Levels Compare After Floods
Many of Texas' reservoirs and lakes are near full capacity, with some jumping more than 30 feet since early July.
Texas (other)
Newsweek·8 months ago
General
Laredo needs water beyond the Rio Grande. It’s looking at a costly alternative.
A project near Laredo could pump and sell millions of gallons of water, but treating it could be expensive.
San Antonio Express-News·11 months ago
General
U.S. and Mexico Advance Water Infrastructure Talks During Drought and Treaty Pressures
The Del Rio and Laredo gatherings brought together regional leaders, hydrologists, engineers, and the public to discuss the future of the Amistad Dam.
Texas Border Business·1 years ago
Hazards·flooding
Dry in the Rio Grande Basin
Amid drought in southern Texas and northern Mexico, Amistad Reservoir has hit record-low levels.
Texas (other)Mexico (other)
NASA Science (.gov)·1 years ago
Last updated 2026-03-26
View all 10 articles