Big Thompson
Hydro power plant in Larimer County, Colorado. 4.5 MW of nameplate capacity across 1 generator, operated by U S Bureau of Reclamation.
Also known as Big Thompson Power Plant · EIA plant 515
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Key facts
- Capacity
- 4.5 MWNameplate
- Generators
- 1 operatingEIA-860M, August 2026
- Operating since
- April 1959First generator online
- Operator
- U S Bureau of ReclamationEIA operator ID 2518
- Grid
- WACMBalancing authority WACM
- Price nodes
- 1 SPP nodeResource nodes with prices
- Location
- Larimer County, CO40.4210, −105.2238
- EIA plant ID
- 515EIA plant page
Data as of EIA-860M August 2026 (published 2026-09-24). Capacity is nameplate, not live output.
How much power Big Thompson produces
Free · EIA-923Net generation, 2025
3.26 GWh
3,257 MWh, final
Capacity factor, 2025
8.3%
2024: 10.0%
January to July 2026
Not reported
Provisional. 0 of 7 months reported
Range, 2015 to 2025
1.3–8.2
GWh a year. Low 2018, high 2019
| Year | Net generation, MWh | Capacity factor | Months reported |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 9,952 | Not reported | 12 of 12 |
| 2001 | 7,663 | Not reported | 12 of 12 |
| 2002 | 3,540 | Not reported | 12 of 12 |
| 2003 | 9,933 | Not reported | 12 of 12 |
| 2004 | 10,522 | Not reported | 12 of 12 |
| 2005 | 8,640 | Not reported | 12 of 12 |
| 2006 | 8,576 | Not reported | 12 of 12 |
| 2007 | 2,518 | Not reported | 12 of 12 |
| 2008 | 10,037 | Not reported | 12 of 12 |
| 2009 | 9,682 | Not reported | 12 of 12 |
| 2010 | 9,112 | 23.1% | 12 of 12 |
| 2011 | 11,456 | 29.1% | 12 of 12 |
| 2012 | 4,805 | 12.2% | 12 of 12 |
| 2013 | 7,223 | 18.3% | 12 of 12 |
| 2014 | 2,006 | 5.1% | 12 of 12 |
| 2015 | 4,123 | 10.5% | 12 of 12 |
| 2016 | 5,722 | 14.5% | 12 of 12 |
| 2017 | 7,627 | 19.3% | 12 of 12 |
| 2018 | 1,251 | 3.2% | 12 of 12 |
| 2019 | 8,231 | 20.9% | 12 of 12 |
| 2020 | 4,929 | 12.5% | 12 of 12 |
| 2021 | 4,973 | 12.6% | 12 of 12 |
| 2022 | 5,342 | 13.6% | 12 of 12 |
| 2023 | 4,244 | 10.8% | 12 of 12 |
| 2024 | 3,966 | 10.0% | 12 of 12 |
| 2025 | 3,257 | 8.3% | 12 of 12 |
| 2026 (provisional, partial year) | Not reported | Not reported | 0 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 CAMPDNo EPA emissions units are linked to this plant.
Water use
Free · EIA-923 cooling, USGSNo EIA cooling-water record for this plant in 2024. Plants without steam cooling, such as wind, solar and batteries, do not report cooling water.
Generators
Free · EIA-860M| Generator | Technology | Nameplate MW | Online since |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Conventional Hydroelectric | 4.5 | April 1959 |
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 U S Bureau of Reclamation as the operator, which is not always the owner.
Modeled data
ProPro adds modeled values for this plant. Everything above stays free.
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Power plants near Big Thompson
More plants operated by U S Bureau of Reclamation
Questions about Big Thompson
How much power does Big Thompson produce?
Big Thompson reported 3,257 MWh (3.26 GWh) of net generation in 2025, a 8.3% capacity factor on 4.5 MW of nameplate capacity.
Where is Big Thompson?
Big Thompson is in Larimer County, Colorado, at 40.4210, −105.2238. It is in the Western Area Power Administration - Rocky Mountain Region balancing area (WACM).
Who operates Big Thompson?
EIA-860M for August 2026 lists U S Bureau of Reclamation as the operator (EIA operator ID 2518). The operator is not always the owner.
When did Big Thompson start operating?
Its first generator began operating in April 1959, according to EIA-860M.
Does InfraMap have power prices for Big Thompson?
Yes. InfraMap has SPP day-ahead and real-time prices at 1 price node linked to Big Thompson, 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)
- 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