GridPlants

John Day

HydroelectricOregonFirst unit online 1968

John Day is a hydroelectric plant in Sherman County, Oregon, operated by USACE Northwestern Division. No other power plant in Oregon has more nameplate capacity; the state has 302 in all. Among the 1,390 hydroelectric plants in the country it is the fourth-largest. Within the Bonneville Power Administration balancing area it is the third-largest of 129 plants.

Nameplate capacity, 2025

2,160 MW

2,052 MW net summer capacity

16 operable units

  • Hydro2,160 MW100%

Unit by unit, 1968 to 2025

operating in 2025bar height follows unit size

Unit 1 Hydro, 135 MW, 1968
Unit 2 Hydro, 135 MW, 1968
Unit 3 Hydro, 135 MW, 1968
Unit 4 Hydro, 135 MW, 1968
Unit 10 Hydro, 135 MW, 1969
Unit 5 Hydro, 135 MW, 1969
Unit 6 Hydro, 135 MW, 1969
Unit 7 Hydro, 135 MW, 1969
Unit 8 Hydro, 135 MW, 1969
Unit 9 Hydro, 135 MW, 1969
Unit 11 Hydro, 135 MW, 1970
Unit 12 Hydro, 135 MW, 1970
Unit 13 Hydro, 135 MW, 1970
Unit 14 Hydro, 135 MW, 1971
Unit 15 Hydro, 135 MW, 1971
Unit 16 Hydro, 135 MW, 1971

Among Oregon’s plants

Largest plants in the state by nameplate capacity, with the plants ranked next to this one.

  1. 1John Daythis plant
  2. 2The Dalles1,820 MW
  3. 3Bonneville1,162 MW

All power plants in Oregon

Other rankings

All US power plants
58th of 14,286
Hydroelectric plants in Oregon
1st of 63
Plants run by USACE Northwestern Division
2nd of 21
Biggest single unit, among Oregon’s plants
24th of 302

Operable units

UnitTechnologyNameplateSummerOnlineStatus
1Hydro135 MW135 MW1968Out of service, expected back
2Hydro135 MW135 MW1968Operating
3Hydro135 MW129 MW1968Out of service, expected back
4Hydro135 MW118 MW1968Operating
5Hydro135 MW135 MW1969Operating
6Hydro135 MW135 MW1969Operating
7Hydro135 MW135 MW1969Operating
8Hydro135 MW118 MW1969Out of service, expected back
9Hydro135 MW118 MW1969Operating
10Hydro135 MW135 MW1969Out of service
11Hydro135 MW118 MW1970Operating
12Hydro135 MW118 MW1970Operating
13Hydro135 MW135 MW1970Operating
14Hydro135 MW118 MW1971Out of service, expected back
15Hydro135 MW135 MW1971Operating
16Hydro135 MW135 MW1971Operating

Grid and site

Reliability region
Western Electricity Coordinating Council
Highest grid connection voltage
500 kV
Water source
Columbia River
Nearest town on record
Rufus
Operator type
Utility
Coordinates
45.716°N, 120.694°W

Closest plants

PlantRuns onCapacityDistance
Linden Wind Energy ProjectWind50 MW4.7 mi northwest
Biglow Canyon Wind FarmWind450 MW6.2 mi southeast
Windy Flats Wind ProjectWind262 MW6.8 mi west
PaTu Wind Farm LLCWind9 MW8.1 mi southeast
Goldendale Generating StationNatural gas303 MW9.4 mi northwest
Goodnoe HillsWind103 MW9.5 mi northeast
WyEast SolarSolar10 MW10.2 mi southeast
Golden Hill WindWind201 MW10.6 mi south

See every hydroelectric plant in Oregon in the plant finder Hydroelectric plants nationwide