World Power Plants

Buford is a 131.2 MW hydroelectric power plant located in the United States of America, operated by the USCE-Mobile District since its commissioning in 2004. The facility harnesses the energy of flowing water to generate electricity, contributing to the country's renewable energy portfolio. It is the 157th largest hydro plant in the United States, which has a total of 1,469 hydro plants with a combined capacity of 117,947 MW. With 131.2 MW, Buford represents approximately 0.11% of the country's total hydro capacity. The largest hydro plant in the United States, Grand Coulee Dam, has a capacity of 6,809 MW, making Buford about 1/52nd the size of this facility. Hydropower plays a significant role in the United States' energy mix, contributing around 6% of total electricity generation. The Buford plant utilizes the natural flow of water, supporting efforts to increase renewable energy sources. It is situated approximately 90 miles northeast of Atlanta, Georgia, in the Appalachian region.

Capacity
131.2 MW
Commissioning Year
2004

22 years old

Owner
USCE-Mobile District
Location
34.1623°, -84.0774°

United States of America, North America

Context & rankings
  • 1,853. largest of 10,098 plants in United States of America
  • #8,952 worldwide by installed capacity
  • #1,931 of 8,493 Hydroelectric plants worldwide
  • 0.01% of the installed capacity of United States of America
Age & fleet comparison

22 years in operation

Hydroelectric fleet average: 42.1 years

Operator portfolio

USCE-Mobile District operates 8 plants totalling 1,186 MW

Regional density

55 plants within 100 km, 10,838 MW combined

Nearest plant: Georgia LFG Richland Creek Plant (5.6 km)

Location

Coordinates:: 34.162300, -84.077400
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Carbon Footprint

Zero Direct Emissions

Buford is a hydro power plant producing approximately 460 GWh of clean electricity per year with zero direct CO₂ emissions during operation.

Lifecycle emissions: ~24 g CO₂/kWh (manufacturing, transport, decommissioning)

Technical Details

Primary Fuel Type
Hydro
Energy Source
Renewable
Country
United States of America
Continent
North America
Data Source
Global Power Plant Database

United States of AmericaEnergy Profile

10,098
Total Plants
1420.7 GW
Total Capacity
GasCoalNuclearWind
Top Fuels

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