Metcalf Energy Center
Natural gas power plant · Santa Clara County, California
Details
- Primary fuel
- Natural gas
- Technology
- Natural Gas Fired Combined Cycle
- Operator
- Calpine Corp - Metcalf Energy Center
- County
- Santa Clara County
- Generating units
- 3
- Share of state capacity
- 0.59%
- Rank among natural gas plants in California
- #22 of 309
- EIA plant code
- 55393
Generating units
| Unit | Technology | Nameplate | Summer | Online | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| STG1 | Natural Gas Fired Combined Cycle | 235 MW | 217 MW | 2005 | Operating |
| CTG1 | Natural Gas Fired Combined Cycle | 200 MW | 170 MW | 2005 | Operating |
| CTG2 | Natural Gas Fired Combined Cycle | 200 MW | 170 MW | 2005 | Operating |
Nameplate is the maximum rated output; summer capacity is what the unit can reliably deliver on a hot day, which is typically lower.
Similarly sized plants in California
| Edward C Hyatt | Hydro | 644 MW |
| Sutter Energy Center | Natural gas | 636 MW |
| Elk Hills Power LLC | Natural gas | 623 MW |
| Gateway Generating Station | Natural gas | 620 MW |
About this data
From EIA’s inventory of operable generators, May 2026 release. Capacity is nameplate — the maximum rated output of the equipment, not what the plant actually generates over a year, which depends on how often it runs. A 635 MW solar plant and a 635 MW nuclear plant have the same entry here and produce very different amounts of electricity.
“In service since” is the earliest in-service date among the units still listed, so a site rebuilt around newer equipment can read as younger than the site itself. All California power plants · What California actually generates