South Plant (CO)
Natural gas power plant in El Paso County, Colorado. 245.1 MW of nameplate capacity across 6 generators, operated by City of Colorado Springs - (CO).
Also known as Martin Drake Power Plant · EIA plant 492
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Key facts
- Capacity
- 245.1 MWNameplate
- Generators
- 6 operatingEIA-860M, August 2026
- Operating since
- June 2023First generator online
- Operator
- City of Colorado Springs - (CO)EIA operator ID 3989
- Grid
- WACMBalancing authority WACM
- Price nodes
- 6 SPP nodesResource nodes with prices
- Location
- El Paso County, CO38.8244, −104.8333
- EIA plant ID
- 492EIA plant page
Data as of EIA-860M August 2026 (published 2026-09-24). Capacity is nameplate, not live output.
How much power South Plant (CO) produces
Free · EIA-923Net generation, 2025
73.2 GWh
73,232 MWh, final
Capacity factor, 2025
3.4%
2024: 22.5%
January to July 2026
160 GWh
Provisional
Range, 2015 to 2025
0.1–1.4
TWh a year. Low 2025, high 2015
| Year | Net generation, MWh | Capacity factor | Months reported |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 1,870,734 | Not reported | 12 of 12 |
| 2001 | 1,892,887 | Not reported | 12 of 12 |
| 2002 | 1,796,177 | Not reported | 12 of 12 |
| 2003 | 1,891,422 | Not reported | 12 of 12 |
| 2004 | 1,627,606 | Not reported | 12 of 12 |
| 2005 | 2,048,016 | Not reported | 12 of 12 |
| 2006 | 1,803,418 | Not reported | 12 of 12 |
| 2007 | 1,795,213 | Not reported | 11 of 12 |
| 2008 | 1,757,109 | Not reported | 12 of 12 |
| 2009 | 1,068,945 | Not reported | 7 of 12 |
| 2010 | 1,624,546 | 72.2% | 12 of 12 |
| 2011 | 1,433,454 | Not reported | 11 of 12 |
| 2012 | 1,408,737 | 62.4% | 12 of 12 |
| 2013 | 1,488,988 | 66.1% | 12 of 12 |
| 2014 | 1,169,606 | 52.0% | 12 of 12 |
| 2015 | 1,387,318 | 61.6% | 12 of 12 |
| 2016 | 1,039,675 | Not reported | 12 of 12 |
| 2017 | 1,141,965 | 63.0% | 12 of 12 |
| 2018 | 921,772 | Not reported | 12 of 12 |
| 2019 | 739,964 | 40.7% | 12 of 12 |
| 2020 | 401,685 | Not reported | 12 of 12 |
| 2021 | 587,675 | Not reported | 12 of 12 |
| 2022 | 211,633 | Not reported | 12 of 12 |
| 2023 | 130,280 | Not reported | 8 of 12 |
| 2024 | 39,622 | 22.5% | 1 of 12 |
| 2025 | 73,232 | 3.4% | 12 of 12 |
| 2026 (provisional, partial year) | 160,130 | 12.8% | 7 of 7 |
* 2026 covers January to July and is provisional. Capacity factor is net generation divided by nameplate capacity times the hours of each reported month.
Power prices and basis
Free account · SPPEmissions
Free · EPA CAMPDCO₂, 2025
51,183
US short tons. 2024: 100,439
SO₂, 2025
0
US short tons
NOx, 2025
29
US short tons
CO₂ per MWh, calculated
0.70 t
About 1,398 lb per MWh
6 of 6 EPA units reported CO₂ in 2025 (5, 6, 7, A1, A2, A3, A4, A5, and others), matched to EIA plant 492 through the EPA–EIA crosswalk. The per-MWh rate is EPA CO₂ divided by EIA-923 net generation. The two reporting boundaries can differ.
Water use
Free · EIA-923 cooling, USGSNo EIA cooling-water record for this plant in 2024.
Generators
Free · EIA-860M| Generator | Technology | Nameplate MW | Online since |
|---|---|---|---|
| A1 | Natural Gas Fired Combustion Turbine | 40.9 | June 2023 |
| A2 | Natural Gas Fired Combustion Turbine | 40.9 | June 2023 |
| A3 | Natural Gas Fired Combustion Turbine | 40.9 | June 2023 |
| A4 | Natural Gas Fired Combustion Turbine | 40.9 | June 2023 |
| A5 | Natural Gas Fired Combustion Turbine | 40.9 | June 2023 |
| A6 | Natural Gas Fired Combustion Turbine | 40.6 | June 2023 |
Ownership and offtake
ProOwnership and offtake are part of Pro
Owners and their shares, parent companies, and power purchase agreements with their buyers. EIA-860M lists City of Colorado Springs - (CO) as the operator, which is not always the owner.
Modeled data
ProPro adds modeled values for this plant. Everything above stays free.
Generation potential vs reported
Monthly potential at seasonal net capability, next to EIA-923 output. Shows how much of the plant's capability was used.
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Power plants near South Plant (CO)
More plants operated by City of Colorado Springs - (CO)
Questions about South Plant (CO)
How much power does South Plant (CO) produce?
South Plant (CO) reported 73,232 MWh (73.2 GWh) of net generation in 2025, a 3.4% capacity factor on 245.1 MW of nameplate capacity. From January to July 2026 it reported 160 GWh, which is provisional.
Where is South Plant (CO)?
South Plant (CO) is in El Paso County, Colorado, at 38.8244, −104.8333. It is in the Western Area Power Administration - Rocky Mountain Region balancing area (WACM).
Who operates South Plant (CO)?
EIA-860M for August 2026 lists City of Colorado Springs - (CO) as the operator (EIA operator ID 3989). The operator is not always the owner.
When did South Plant (CO) start operating?
Its first generator began operating in June 2023, according to EIA-860M.
Does InfraMap have power prices for South Plant (CO)?
Yes. InfraMap has SPP day-ahead and real-time prices at 6 price nodes linked to South Plant (CO), with the hub price and node-to-hub basis. Prices are free with an InfraMap account; pricing node names are part of InfraMap Pro.
Sources
- EIA-860 2025 (final) and EIA-860M August 2026: plant, generators, capacity, operator and location
- EIA-923 monthly net generation, 2000 to July 2026 (2026 provisional)
- EPA CAMPD annual emissions through the EPA–EIA crosswalk, 1995 to 2025
- SPP day-ahead and real-time prices; node and hub assignments as of 2026-10-05
- Plant names from OpenStreetMap, © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL)
Page updated 2026-10-04 from the InfraMap data build. Methodology · Data sources · EIA plant page