Blue Mesa
n/a, Gunnison, CO 81401Plant Summary Information
Blue Mesa is ranked #4 out of 45 hydroelectric power plants in Colorado in terms of total annual net electricity generation.
Blue Mesa is comprised of 2 generators and generated 27.2 GWh during the 3-month period between September 2025 to December 2025.
| Plant Name | Blue Mesa |
|---|---|
| Utility Name | U S Bureau of Reclamation |
| Location | Gunnison County, CO |
| Initial Operation Date | September 1967 |
| Last Update | Dec 2025 |
| Annual Generation | 198.0 GWh |
| Annual Consumption | 698.7 k MMBtu |
| Ranked #2,546 out of 13,081 Power Plants Nationwide | |
| Ranked #207 out of 1,311 Water Power Plants Nationwide | |
| Ranked #51 out of 290 Colorado Power Plants | |
| Ranked #4 out of 45 Colorado Water Power Plants | |
| Fuel Types | Water |
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Monthly Net Generation for Blue Mesa
Monthly Plant Fuel Consumption for Blue Mesa
Blue Mesa Details
| Summary Information | |
|---|---|
| Plant Name | Blue Mesa (512) |
| Plant Address | , Gunnison, CO 81401 |
| Utility | U S Bureau of Reclamation (2518) |
| Latitude, Longitude | 38.45319, -107.33748 |
| Generation Dates on File | Jan 2001 to Dec 2025 |
| Initial Operation Date | September 1967 |
| Annual Generation | 198.0 GWh |
| Fuel Types | Water |
| Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) Information | |
| FERC Cogeneration Status | No |
| FERC Small Power Producer Status | No |
| FERC Exempt Wholesale Generator Status | No |
| Regulatory Information | |
|---|---|
| Regulatory Status | Regulated |
| NERC Region | WECC |
| Balancing Authority | Western Area Power Administration - Rocky Mountain Region (WACM) |
| NAICS Code | Utilities (22) |
| Sector | Electric Utility (1) |
| Water Source | Blue Mesa Reservoir-Gunnison R |
| Ash Impoundment | No |
| Transmission / Distribution Owner | WAPA-- Western Area Power Administration (27000) CO |
| Grid Voltage | 115.00 kV |
| Energy Storage | No |
Generator 2 Details Operating November 1967
| Technology | Conventional Hydroelectric |
|---|---|
| Prime Mover | Hydroelectric Turbine |
| Ownership | Single Owner |
| Nameplate Capacity | 43.2 MW |
| Nameplate Power Factor | 0.9 |
| Summer Capacity | 43.2 MW |
| Winter Capacity | 43.2 MW |
| Minimum Load | 13 MW |
| Uprate/Derate Completed | No |
|---|---|
| Status | Operating |
| First Operation Date | November 1967 |
| Combined Heat & Power | No |
| Sector Name | Electric Utility (1) |
| Energy Source | Water |
| Time From Cold Shutdown To Full Load | 10M |
Generator 1 Details Operating September 1967
| Technology | Conventional Hydroelectric |
|---|---|
| Prime Mover | Hydroelectric Turbine |
| Ownership | Single Owner |
| Nameplate Capacity | 43.2 MW |
| Nameplate Power Factor | 0.9 |
| Summer Capacity | 43.2 MW |
| Winter Capacity | 43.2 MW |
| Minimum Load | 13 MW |
| Uprate/Derate Completed | No |
|---|---|
| Status | Operating |
| First Operation Date | September 1967 |
| Combined Heat & Power | No |
| Sector Name | Electric Utility (1) |
| Energy Source | Water |
| Time From Cold Shutdown To Full Load | 10M |
Blue Mesa Plant Owners
| Owner Name | Address | Generator | Ownership | We couldn't locate any owners for this plant |
|---|
Power Plants with Similar Net Generation
Power plants with a similar annual net generation from Water.
| Rank | Plant Name | Plant Location | Annual Generation |
|---|---|---|---|
| #197 | Hiwassee Dam | Murphy, NC | 213.5 GWh |
| #198 | Red Rock Hydro Plant | Pella, IA | 213.0 GWh |
| #199 | W E Warne | Gorman, CA | 211.0 GWh |
| #200 | Toketee Falls | Idleyld Park, OR | 208.4 GWh |
| #201 | Sam Rayburn Dam | Jasper, TX | 207.9 GWh |
| #202 | American Falls | American Falls, ID | 206.3 GWh |
| #203 | Pole Hill | Loveland, CO | 202.4 GWh |
| #204 | Stanislaus | Vallecito, CA | 199.8 GWh |
| #205 | Willow Island Hydroelectric Plant | Willow Island, WV | 198.3 GWh |
| #206 | Thomson | Carlton, MN | 198.2 GWh |
| #208 | Lower Salmon | Hagerman, ID | 196.7 GWh |
| #209 | Cowlitz Falls | Randle, WA | 195.6 GWh |
| #210 | New Martinsville Hannibal Hydro | New Martinsville, WV | 194.6 GWh |
| #211 | Bellows Falls | Bellow Falls, VT | 194.3 GWh |
| #212 | Claytor | Radford, VA | 194.0 GWh |
| #213 | Bucks Creek | Storrie, CA | 192.0 GWh |
| #214 | Denison | Denison, TX | 191.9 GWh |
| #215 | Cheatham | Ashland City, TN | 191.4 GWh |
| #216 | Thurlow Dam | Tallassee, AL | 191.0 GWh |
| #217 | Racine | Racine, OH | 190.0 GWh |
Nearby Power Plants
Below are closest 20 power plants surrounding Blue Mesa.
| Plant Name | Plant Location | Annual Generation | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ameresco HCE Solar LLC | Glenwood Springs, CO | 8.6 GWh | 70.2 mi |
| Ash Mesa Solar, LLC | Olathe, CO | 14.4 GWh | 38.5 mi |
| Basalt | Aspen, CO | 13.5 GWh | 68.7 mi |
| Crystal | Montrose, CO | 141.3 GWh | 16.1 mi |
| Drop 5 (CO) | Montrose, CO | 8.9 GWh | 25.8 mi |
| Garnet Mesa Solar | Delta, CO | 159.5 GWh | 40.1 mi |
| Lower Molina | Molina, CO | 9.9 GWh | 63.8 mi |
| Morrow Point | Montrose, CO | 262.8 GWh | 10.9 mi |
| Oak Leaf Solar XXXIII LLC (Lantz) | Salida, CO | 2.7 GWh | 68.5 mi |
| Pitkin County Solar | Aspen, CO | 9.3 GWh | 60.2 mi |
| Salida | Salida, CO | 1.7 GWh | 62.7 mi |
| Shavano Falls Hydro | Montrose, CO | 10.8 GWh | 36.1 mi |
| Shavano Falls Hydro Drop 4 | Montrose, CO | 21.1 GWh | 23.8 mi |
| South Canal Hydro-1 | Montrose, CO | 17.1 GWh | 22.7 mi |
| South Canal Hydro-3 | Montrose, CO | 12.3 GWh | 23.5 mi |
| Sunnyside Ranch Community Solar Array | Carbondale, CO | 1.6 GWh | 67.2 mi |
| Tacoma | Durango, CO | 1.9 GWh | 68.6 mi |
| Tri-County Water Hydropower Project | Ridgway, CO | 12.0 GWh | 27.2 mi |
| Upper Molina | Molina, CO | 17.1 GWh | 59.7 mi |
| Vinelands Power Plant | Palisade, CO | 14.7 GWh | 70.4 mi |