E C Gaston
E C Gaston is a natural gas plant in Shelby County, Alabama, operated by Alabama Power Co. It ranks fourth by nameplate capacity among Alabama’s 78 power plants. Its units draw on three kinds of energy: natural gas, coal and oil-fired. Its biggest unit, rated at 952 MW, is the second-largest single generator in Alabama.
Nameplate capacity, 2025
2,034 MW
1,868 MW net summer capacity
6 operable units
- Gas steam turbine1,061 MW52%
- Coal steam952 MW47%
- Oil-fired21.2 MW1.0%
Unit by unit, 1960 to 2025
operating in 2025bar height follows unit size
Unit 1 Gas steam turbine, 272 MW, 1960
Unit 2 Gas steam turbine, 272 MW, 1960
Unit 3 Gas steam turbine, 272 MW, 1961
Unit ST4 Gas steam turbine, 245 MW, 1962
Unit GT4 Oil-fired, 21.2 MW, 1970
Unit 5 Coal steam, 952 MW, 1974
Among Alabama’s plants
Largest plants in the state by nameplate capacity, with the plants ranked next to this one.
- 1Browns Ferry3,854 MW
- 2Barry3,344 MW
- 3James H Miller Jr2,822 MW
- 4E C Gastonthis plant
- 5H Allen Franklin Combined Cycle1,996 MW
- 6Joseph M Farley1,776 MW
Other rankings
- All US power plants
- 67th of 14,286
- US natural gas plants
- 21st of 1,961
- Natural gas plants in Alabama
- 2nd of 26
- Plants in the Southern Company balancing area
- 8th of 335
- Plants run by Alabama Power Co
- 3rd of 27
Operable units
By the year its oldest working unit started, it is the third-oldest of Alabama’s 26 natural gas plants.
| Unit | Technology | Nameplate | Summer | Online | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Gas steam turbine | 272 MW | 254 MW | 1960 | Operating |
| 2 | Gas steam turbine | 272 MW | 256 MW | 1960 | Operating |
| 3 | Gas steam turbine | 272 MW | 254 MW | 1961 | Operating |
| ST4 | Gas steam turbine | 245 MW | 256 MW | 1962 | Operating |
| GT4 | Oil-fired | 21.2 MW | 16 MW | 1970 | Operating |
| 5 | Coal steam | 952 MW | 832 MW | 1974 | Operating |
Who owns it
Shares are weighted by the nameplate capacity of each unit an owner holds.
| Owner | Share of capacity |
|---|---|
| Alabama Power Co | 26.6% |
| Georgia Power Co | 26.6% |
| Alabama Power Co (sole owner of the other units) | 46.8% |
Grid and site
- Balancing area
- Southern Company
- Reliability region
- SERC Reliability Corporation
- Highest grid connection voltage
- 230 kV
- Water source
- Coosa River
- Nearest town on record
- Wilsonville
- Operator type
- Utility
- Coordinates
- 33.244°N, 86.458°W
Closest plants
| Plant | Runs on | Capacity | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|
| U S Alliance Coosa Pines | Biomass and waste | 25.9 MW | 8.2 mi northeast |
| AMEA Peaking | Natural gas | 98.6 MW | 11.5 mi southeast |
| Logan Martin Dam | Hydroelectric | 128 MW | 14.4 mi northeast |
| Lay Dam | Hydroelectric | 177 MW | 19.7 mi south |
| ABC Coke | Natural gas | 3.8 MW | 29.9 mi northwest |
| Mitchell Dam | Hydroelectric | 170 MW | 30.3 mi south |
| Hillabee Energy Center | Natural gas | 823 MW | 36.2 mi southeast |
| Calhoun Energy Center | Natural gas | 748 MW | 36.7 mi northeast |