El Cajon Energy Center
Natural gas power plant in San Diego County, California. 60.5 MW of nameplate capacity across 1 generator, operated by Wellhead Services, Inc.
Also known as EIA plant 57001
Analyst: free account, 1 question a day.
Key facts
- Capacity
- 60.5 MWNameplate
- Generators
- 1 operatingEIA-860M, August 2026
- Operating since
- June 2010First generator online
- Operator
- Wellhead Services, IncEIA operator ID 20323
- Grid
- CAISOBalancing authority CISO
- Price nodes
- 1 CAISO nodeResource nodes with prices
- Location
- San Diego County, CA32.7961, −116.9721
- EIA plant ID
- 57001EIA plant page
Data as of EIA-860M August 2026 (published 2026-09-24). Capacity is nameplate, not live output.
How much power El Cajon produces
Free · EIA-923Net generation, 2025
19.8 GWh
19,841 MWh, final
Capacity factor, 2025
3.7%
2024: 1.7%
January to July 2026
Not reported
Provisional. 0 of 7 months reported
Range, 2015 to 2025
6.4–19.8
GWh a year. Low 2020, high 2025
| Year | Net generation, MWh | Capacity factor | Months reported |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | Not reported | Not reported | 0 of 12 |
| 2001 | Not reported | Not reported | 0 of 12 |
| 2002 | Not reported | Not reported | 0 of 12 |
| 2003 | Not reported | Not reported | 0 of 12 |
| 2004 | Not reported | Not reported | 0 of 12 |
| 2005 | Not reported | Not reported | 0 of 12 |
| 2006 | Not reported | Not reported | 0 of 12 |
| 2007 | Not reported | Not reported | 0 of 12 |
| 2008 | Not reported | Not reported | 0 of 12 |
| 2009 | Not reported | Not reported | 0 of 12 |
| 2010 | 25,458 | Not reported | 12 of 12 |
| 2011 | 19,030 | 4.4% | 12 of 12 |
| 2012 | 43,421 | 9.9% | 12 of 12 |
| 2013 | 24,198 | 5.5% | 12 of 12 |
| 2014 | 27,154 | 6.2% | 12 of 12 |
| 2015 | 15,671 | 3.6% | 12 of 12 |
| 2016 | 10,340 | 2.4% | 12 of 12 |
| 2017 | 13,393 | 3.1% | 12 of 12 |
| 2018 | 16,736 | 3.8% | 12 of 12 |
| 2019 | 8,835 | 2.0% | 12 of 12 |
| 2020 | 6,355 | Not reported | 12 of 12 |
| 2021 | 6,659 | 1.3% | 12 of 12 |
| 2022 | 13,648 | 2.6% | 12 of 12 |
| 2023 | 7,588 | 1.4% | 12 of 12 |
| 2024 | 8,981 | 1.7% | 12 of 12 |
| 2025 | 19,841 | 3.7% | 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 · CAISOEmissions
Free · EPA CAMPDCO₂, 2025
13,486
US short tons. 2024: 5,845
SO₂, 2025
0
US short tons
NOx, 2025
2
US short tons
CO₂ per MWh, calculated
0.68 t
About 1,359 lb per MWh
1 of 1 EPA units reported CO₂ in 2025 (1), matched to EIA plant 57001 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| GEN1 | Natural Gas Fired Combustion Turbine | 60.5 | June 2010 |
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 Wellhead Services, Inc 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 El Cajon
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Questions about El Cajon
How much power does El Cajon Energy Center produce?
El Cajon Energy Center reported 19,841 MWh (19.8 GWh) of net generation in 2025, a 3.7% capacity factor on 60.5 MW of nameplate capacity.
Where is El Cajon Energy Center?
El Cajon Energy Center is in San Diego County, California, at 32.7961, −116.9721. It is in the California Independent System Operator balancing area (CISO).
Who operates El Cajon Energy Center?
EIA-860M for August 2026 lists Wellhead Services, Inc as the operator (EIA operator ID 20323). The operator is not always the owner.
When did El Cajon Energy Center start operating?
Its first generator began operating in June 2010, according to EIA-860M.
Does InfraMap have power prices for El Cajon Energy Center?
Yes. InfraMap has CAISO day-ahead and real-time prices at 1 price node linked to El Cajon Energy Center, 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
- CAISO day-ahead and real-time prices; node and hub assignments as of 2026-10-05
Page updated 2026-10-04 from the InfraMap data build. Methodology · Data sources · EIA plant page