Big Bend
Big Bend is a natural gas plant in Hillsborough County, Florida, operated by Tampa Electric Co. Retired units here add up to 1,066 MW across 5 units, taken out of service between 2008 and 2023. The operator has reported planned retirement dates for 486 MW of it, in 2040. Within the Tampa Electric balancing area it is the second-largest of 45 plants.
Nameplate capacity, 2025
1,797 MW
1,491 MW net summer capacity
5 operable units
- Gas combined cycle1,241 MW69%
- Gas steam turbine486 MW27%
- Gas combustion turbine69.9 MW3.9%
Unit by unit, 1969 to 2025
operating in 2025retiredreported planned retirementbar height follows unit size
Unit GT1 Oil-fired, 18 MW, 1969–2008
Unit ST1 Gas combined cycle, 446 MW, 1970
Unit ST2 Coal steam, 446 MW, 1973–2021
Unit GT2 Oil-fired, 78.7 MW, 1974–2008
Unit GT3 Oil-fired, 78.7 MW, 1974–2008
Unit ST3 Gas steam turbine, 446 MW, 1976–2023
Unit ST4 Gas steam turbine, 486 MW, 1985
Unit GT4 Gas combustion turbine, 69.9 MW, 2009
Unit GT5 Gas combined cycle, 398 MW, 2021
Unit GT6 Gas combined cycle, 398 MW, 2021
Among Florida’s plants
Largest plants in the state by nameplate capacity, with the plants ranked next to this one.
- 1West County Energy Center4,263 MW
- 2Crystal River3,449 MW
- 3Turkey Point2,978 MW
- 11Gulf Clean Energy Center2,108 MW
- 12Seminole (FL)1,898 MW
- 13Big Bendthis plant
- 14Okeechobee Clean Energy Center1,723 MW
- 15P L Bartow1,476 MW
Other rankings
- All US power plants
- 97th of 14,286
- Power plants in Florida
- 13th of 331
- US natural gas plants
- 30th of 1,961
- Natural gas plants in Florida
- 11th of 68
- Plants run by Tampa Electric Co
- 2nd of 32
- Biggest single unit, among Florida’s plants
- 15th of 331
Operable units
One unit can switch between natural gas and oil.
| Unit | Technology | Nameplate | Summer | Online | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ST1 | Gas combined cycle | 446 MW | 335 MW | 1970 | Operating |
| ST4 | Gas steam turbine | 486 MW | 380 MW | 1985 | Operating, retirement planned for 2040 |
| GT4 | Gas combustion turbine | 69.9 MW | 56 MW | 2009 | Operating |
| GT5 | Gas combined cycle | 398 MW | 360 MW | 2021 | Operating |
| GT6 | Gas combined cycle | 398 MW | 360 MW | 2021 | Operating |
Retired units
| Unit | Technology | Nameplate | In service |
|---|---|---|---|
| GT1 | Oil-fired | 18 MW | 1969–2008 |
| GT2 | Oil-fired | 78.7 MW | 1974–2008 |
| GT3 | Oil-fired | 78.7 MW | 1974–2008 |
| ST2 | Coal steam | 446 MW | 1973–2021 |
| ST3 | Gas steam turbine | 446 MW | 1976–2023 |
Grid and site
- Balancing area
- Tampa Electric
- Reliability region
- SERC Reliability Corporation
- Highest grid connection voltage
- 230 kV
- Water source
- Tampa Bay
- Nearest town on record
- Apollo Beach
- Operator type
- Utility
- Coordinates
- 27.794°N, 82.404°W
Closest plants
| Plant | Runs on | Capacity | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Big Bend Floating Solar I | Solar | 1 MW | 0.7 mi southeast |
| Big Bend Agrivoltaics | Solar | 1 MW | 0.8 mi south |
| Big Bend II Solar | Solar | 45.8 MW | 1.2 mi southeast |
| Big Bend 1 Solar and Battery Storage | Solar | 32.4 MW | 1.3 mi southeast |
| Mosaic Co Tampa Facility | Other sources | 72.4 MW | 4.6 mi north |
| Little Manatee River Solar | Solar | 74.5 MW | 7.1 mi south |
| H L Culbreath Bayside Power Station | Natural gas | 2,294 MW | 7.9 mi north |
| South Tampa Resilience Project | Natural gas | 75.2 MW | 8.4 mi northwest |