The Dalles

HydroelectricOregonFirst unit online 1957

The Dalles is a hydroelectric plant in Wasco County, Oregon, operated by USACE Northwestern Division. It ranks second by nameplate capacity among Oregon’s 302 power plants. Among the 1,390 hydroelectric plants in the country it is the fifth-largest.

Nameplate capacity, 2025

1,820 MW

1,823 MW net summer capacity

24 operable units

Hydro1,820 MW100%

Unit by unit, 1957 to 2025

operating in 2025bar height follows unit size

4 units Hydro, 184 MW, 1957

4 units Hydro, 324 MW, 1958

4 units Hydro, 312 MW, 1959

4 units Hydro, 312 MW, 1960

8 units Hydro, 688 MW, 1973

Among Oregon’s plants

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

1John Day2,160 MW
2The Dallesthis plant
3Bonneville1,162 MW
4McNary990 MW

All power plants in Oregon

Other rankings

All US power plants: 92nd of 14,286
Hydroelectric plants in Oregon: 2nd of 63
Plants in the Bonneville Power Administration balancing area: 4th of 129
Plants run by USACE Northwestern Division: 3rd of 21
Biggest single unit, among Oregon’s plants: 36th of 302

Operable units

Unit	Technology	Nameplate	Summer	Online	Status
F1	Hydro	14 MW	14 MW	1957	Out of service, expected back
F2	Hydro	14 MW	14 MW	1957	Out of service, expected back
1	Hydro	78 MW	78 MW	1957	Operating
2	Hydro	78 MW	78 MW	1957	Operating
3	Hydro	78 MW	78 MW	1958	Operating
4	Hydro	78 MW	78 MW	1958	Operating
5	Hydro	89.7 MW	92.7 MW	1958	Operating
6	Hydro	78 MW	78 MW	1958	Operating
7	Hydro	78 MW	78 MW	1959	Operating
8	Hydro	78 MW	78 MW	1959	Operating
10	Hydro	78 MW	78 MW	1959	Operating
9	Hydro	78 MW	78 MW	1959	Out of service, expected back
11	Hydro	78 MW	78 MW	1960	Operating
12	Hydro	78 MW	78 MW	1960	Operating
13	Hydro	78 MW	78 MW	1960	Operating
14	Hydro	78 MW	78 MW	1960	Out of service, expected back
15	Hydro	86 MW	86 MW	1973	Out of service, expected back
16	Hydro	86 MW	86 MW	1973	Operating
17	Hydro	86 MW	86 MW	1973	Operating
18	Hydro	86 MW	86 MW	1973	Operating
19	Hydro	86 MW	86 MW	1973	Out of service
20	Hydro	86 MW	86 MW	1973	Out of service
21	Hydro	86 MW	86 MW	1973	Out of service, expected back
22	Hydro	86 MW	86 MW	1973	Out of service, expected back

Grid and site

Balancing area: Bonneville Power Administration
Reliability region: Western Electricity Coordinating Council
Highest grid connection voltage: 230 kV
Water source: Columbia River
Nearest town on record: The Dalles
Operator type: Utility
Coordinates: 45.614°N, 121.135°W

Closest plants

Plant	Runs on	Capacity	Distance
Dalles Dam North Fishway Project	Hydroelectric	6.5 MW	0.1 mi west
Windy Flats Wind Project	Wind	262 MW	16.5 mi northeast
Copper Dam Plant	Hydroelectric	2.6 MW	19.1 mi west
Linden Wind Energy Project	Wind	50 MW	19.2 mi northeast
Goldendale Generating Station	Natural gas	303 MW	19.9 mi northeast
Peters Drive Plant	Hydroelectric	1.8 MW	20.3 mi west
Golden Hill Wind	Wind	201 MW	20.9 mi east
John Day	Hydroelectric	2,160 MW	22.4 mi east

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