Castaic
Castaic is a pumped-storage hydro plant in Los Angeles County, California, operated by Los Angeles Department of Water & Power. Among the 33 pumped-storage plants in the country it is the fourth-largest. It ranks fourth by nameplate capacity among California’s 1,870 power plants. It is the biggest of California’s 6 pumped-storage plants. Within the LA Department of Water and Power balancing area it is the second-largest of 95 plants.
Nameplate capacity, 2025
1,682 MW
1,674 MW net summer capacity
7 operable units
- Pumped-storage hydro1,626 MW97%
- Hydro56 MW3.3%
Unit by unit, 1972 to 2025
operating in 2025bar height follows unit size
Unit 7 Hydro, 56 MW, 1972
Unit 1 Pumped-storage hydro, 271 MW, 1973
Unit 2 Pumped-storage hydro, 271 MW, 1974
Unit 3 Pumped-storage hydro, 271 MW, 1976
Unit 4 Pumped-storage hydro, 271 MW, 1977
Unit 5 Pumped-storage hydro, 271 MW, 1977
Unit 6 Pumped-storage hydro, 271 MW, 1978
Among California’s plants
Largest plants in the state by nameplate capacity, with the plants ranked next to this one.
- 1Diablo Canyon2,323 MW
- 2Dynegy Moss Landing Power Plant Hybrid1,848 MW
- 3Haynes1,739 MW
- 4Castaicthis plant
- 5Ormond Beach1,612 MW
- 6Geysers Unit 5-201,236 MW
Other rankings
- All US power plants
- 119th of 14,286
- Plants run by Los Angeles Department of Water & Power
- 2nd of 28
- Biggest single unit, among California’s plants
- 20th of 1,870
Operable units
| Unit | Technology | Nameplate | Summer | Online | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7 | Hydro | 56 MW | 51.5 MW | 1972 | Operating |
| 1 | Pumped-storage hydro | 271 MW | 270 MW | 1973 | Operating |
| 2 | Pumped-storage hydro | 271 MW | 270 MW | 1974 | Operating |
| 3 | Pumped-storage hydro | 271 MW | 270 MW | 1976 | Operating |
| 4 | Pumped-storage hydro | 271 MW | 270 MW | 1977 | Operating |
| 5 | Pumped-storage hydro | 271 MW | 270 MW | 1977 | Operating |
| 6 | Pumped-storage hydro | 271 MW | 270 MW | 1978 | Operating |
Grid and site
- Balancing area
- LA Department of Water and Power
- Reliability region
- Western Electricity Coordinating Council
- Highest grid connection voltage
- 230 kV
- Water source
- Pyramid Lake California Aquedu
- Nearest town on record
- Castaic
- Operator type
- Utility
- Coordinates
- 34.587°N, 118.657°W
Closest plants
| Plant | Runs on | Capacity | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Foothill Feeder | Hydroelectric | 9 MW | 5.7 mi southeast |
| San Francisquito 2 | Hydroelectric | 46 MW | 8.3 mi southeast |
| W E Warne | Hydroelectric | 74.2 MW | 10.1 mi northwest |
| Santa Felicia Dam | Hydroelectric | 1.3 MW | 10.2 mi southwest |
| Ameresco Chiquita Canyon | Biomass and waste | 9.2 MW | 10.8 mi south |
| San Francisquito 1 | Hydroelectric | 65.5 MW | 11.5 mi east |
| SCV Water - Gladbach Water Treatment Plant Phases I and II | Solar | 4.5 MW | 13.5 mi southeast |
| Alamo | Hydroelectric | 19.6 MW | 15.9 mi north |