Brownlee — Plant Summary
- EIA Plant ID
- 811
- Capacity
- 675 MW
- Primary Fuel
- Hydro
- Technology
- Conventional Hydroelectric
- Status
- Operating
- Location
- Washington, ID
- Operating Since
- 1958
- Generators
- 5
- Operator
- Idaho Power Co
- Parent Company
- IDACORP
- Annual Generation
- 2,209,109 MWh
- Capacity Factor
- 37.3%
- Balancing Authority
- Idaho Power Company
- ISO/RTO
- —
- NERC Region
- WECC
Brownlee
OperatingHydro
Ranked #1 of 76 Hydro plants in ID#35 of 1454 nationally
675 MW Hydro operating in Washington, ID — Idaho Power Company
EIAGEMWD
675 MW
Nameplate Capacity
5
Generators
units
Conventional Hydroelectric
Technology
1958
Operating Since
Location
Ownership & Operator
| Field | EIA | GEM | Wikidata |
|---|---|---|---|
| Operator | Idaho Power Co | Idaho Power | — |
| Owner(s) | Idaho Power Co | IDACORP | — |
| Status | Operating | operating | — |
Ownership Chain
About
Brownlee Dam is a hydroelectric earth fill embankment dam in the western United States, on the Snake River along the Idaho-Oregon border. In Hells Canyon at river mile 285, it impounds the Snake River in the 58-mile-long (93 km) Brownlee Reservoir.
Read more on WikipediaBrownlee is a 675 MW hydroelectric power plant located in Washington County, Idaho. The plant began operating in 1958 and utilizes conventional hydroelectric technology. It has 5 generators and is owned by IDACORP, with Idaho Power Co. acting as the operator. Brownlee is the largest hydroelectric plant in Idaho out of 5 such plants, and ranks 35th nationally out of 194 hydroelectric plants.
The plant's primary fuel source is water (WAT). In the most recent year with available data, Brownlee generated 2,209,109 MWh of electricity, achieving a capacity factor of 37.3%. The installed cost of the plant was $408.1 per kW. Brownlee operates within the Idaho Power Company balancing authority and the Western Electricity Coordinating Council (WECC) NERC region.
Generated from EIA, GEM, and public data sources
Engineering & Generators
Grid Context
NERC Region
WECC
Balancing Authority
Idaho Power Company
Grid Voltage
230 kV
Regulatory Status
RE
Entity Type
Investor-Owned Utility
Sector
Electric Utility
Generation
128.6K MWh
Latest Month
2.2M MWh
Annual Generation
37.3%
Capacity Factor
Jan 2022 – Dec 2024
Financial DataBeta
Source: FERC Form 1HIGH
$420/kW
Installed Cost
$3.0/MWh
Operating Cost
Idaho Power Company
Reporting Utility
Cumulative Installed Cost
Per-Unit Cost Trends
Pricing & Market Data
Market Position
LMP Node
BLPR_GNODE011
Pricing Hub
—
News & Articles (9)Beta
Regulatory·permitting
Idaho Power Company; Notice of Intent To File License Application, Filing of Pre-Application Document, and Approving Use of the Traditional Licensing Process
Idaho Power Company (other)
Federal Register (FERC)·3 days ago
Industry·other
Cecil Eugene Brownlee Obituary (2026) - Anderson, SC - Unity Mortuary of Anderson
Cecil Brownlee Obituary Mr. Cecil Eugene Brownlee, Jr. peacefully departed his life on Thursday, January 8th, 2026 at his residence.
Cecil Eugene Brownlee (other)Anderson, SC (other)
Legacy | Obituary·2 months ago
Industry·other
Nancy McCann Obituary (1934 - 2025) - Washington, PA - Observer-Reporter
Nancy Brownlee McCann, 91, passed away peacefully, in her home, Sunday, August 17, 2025. She was born February 15, 1934, in Washington,...
Nancy McCann (other)Washington, PA (other)
Legacy | Obituary·7 months ago
Hazards·flooding
Flood control, other factors could keep some Brownlee Reservoir boat ramps dry at times this spring
Some boat ramps, including ones on the Baker County shore of Brownlee Reservoir, could be left dry at times in late winter and early spring.
Brownlee Reservoir (other)Baker County (other)
Baker City Herald·1 years ago
Last updated 2026-03-25
View all 9 articles