Hydroelectric Power Plants in North Carolina
Every operating hydroelectric power plant in North Carolina on EIA-860M for 2026-07: 37 plants, 95 generating units and 2 GW of nameplate capacity across 24 counties.
As of 2026-07 (inventory dated 2026-07-31) · EIA-860M Preliminary Monthly Electric Generator Inventory · eia.gov/…/july_generator2026.xlsx · eia.gov/…/eia860m
- Plants
- 37
- 95 generating units
- Nameplate capacity
- 2 GW
- Counties
- 24
- Grid operator
- Mixed
- no single ISO covers a majority
Map of hydroelectric power plants in North Carolina
Every one of the 37 plants is drawn at the coordinate EIA files for it.
Loading map…
- Hydro · 37
List of hydroelectric power plants in North Carolina
Sort by any column. Capacity is nameplate, summed across every generating unit EIA lists at the site.
| Cowans FordConventional Hydroelectric | Duke Energy Carolinas, LLC | Lincoln | 350 | 4 | 1963 | Operating |
| Fontana DamConventional Hydroelectric | Tennessee Valley Authority | Swain | 254.7 | 3 | 1945 | Operating |
| GastonConventional Hydroelectric | Virginia Electric & Power Co | Halifax | 177.6 | 4 | 1963 | Operating |
| CheoahConventional Hydroelectric | Brookfield Smoky Mountain Hydropower LP | Graham | 140 | 5 | 1949 | Operating |
| Narrows (NC)Conventional Hydroelectric | Eagle Creek Renewable Energy, LLC | Stanly | 108.8 | 4 | 1917 | Operating |
| WaltersConventional Hydroelectric | Duke Energy Progress - (NC) | Haywood | 108 | 3 | 1930 | Operating |
| Roanoke RapidsConventional Hydroelectric | Virginia Electric & Power Co | Halifax | 100 | 4 | 1955 | Operating |
| TilleryConventional Hydroelectric | Duke Energy Progress - (NC) | Montgomery | 84 | 4 | 1928 | Operating |
| Mountain IslandConventional Hydroelectric | Duke Energy Carolinas, LLC | Gaston | 60 | 4 | 1923 | Operating |
| SanteetlahConventional Hydroelectric | Brookfield Smoky Mountain Hydropower LP | Graham | 45 | 2 | 1928 | Operating |
| NantahalaConventional Hydroelectric | Duke Energy Carolinas, LLC | Macon | 43.2 | 1 | 1942 | Operating |
| Tuckertown HydroConventional Hydroelectric | Eagle Creek Renewable Energy, LLC | Montgomery | 42 | 3 | 1962 | Operating |
| Oxford DamConventional Hydroelectric | Duke Energy Carolinas, LLC | Catawba | 36 | 2 | 1928 | Operating |
| High Rock HydroConventional Hydroelectric | Eagle Creek Renewable Energy, LLC | Davidson | 33 | 3 | 1927 | Operating |
| Falls HydroConventional Hydroelectric | Eagle Creek Renewable Energy, LLC | Stanly | 31.4 | 3 | 1919 | Operating |
| BridgewaterConventional Hydroelectric | Duke Energy Carolinas, LLC | Burke | 27.7 | 3 | 1919 | Operating |
| Lookout ShoalsConventional Hydroelectric | Duke Energy Carolinas, LLC | Iredell | 25.8 | 3 | 1915 | Operating |
| RhodhissConventional Hydroelectric | Duke Energy Carolinas, LLC | Caldwell | 25.5 | 3 | 1925 | Operating |
| ThorpeConventional Hydroelectric | Duke Energy Carolinas, LLC | Jackson | 21.6 | 1 | 1941 | Operating |
| ChatugeConventional Hydroelectric | Tennessee Valley Authority | Clay | 13.2 | 1 | 1954 | Operating |
| Tennessee CreekConventional Hydroelectric | Duke Energy Carolinas, LLC | Jackson | 10.8 | 1 | 1955 | Operating |
| Bear Creek DamConventional Hydroelectric | Duke Energy Carolinas, LLC | Jackson | 9 | 1 | 1954 | Operating |
| Cedar CliffConventional Hydroelectric | Duke Energy Carolinas, LLC | Jackson | 6.4 | 1 | 1952 | Operating |
| Turner ShoalsConventional Hydroelectric | Northbrook Carolina Hydro LLC | Polk | 5.4 | 2 | 1996 | Out of service but expected to return to service in next calendar year |
| Marshall DamConventional Hydroelectric | Duke Energy Progress - (NC) | Madison | 5 | 2 | 1985 | Operating |
| TuxedoConventional Hydroelectric | Northbrook Tuxedo, LLC | Henderson | 5 | 2 | 1920 | Out of service and NOT expected to return to service in next calendar year |
| Jordan Hydroelectric ProjectConventional Hydroelectric | Jordan Hydroelectric LTD PTP | Chatham | 4.4 | 2 | 2012 | Out of service but expected to return to service in next calendar year |
| Lake LureConventional Hydroelectric | Town of Lake Lure - (NC) | Rutherford | 3.6 | 2 | 1927 | Operating |
| TuckasegeeConventional Hydroelectric | Duke Energy Carolinas, LLC | Jackson | 3 | 1 | 1950 | Operating |
| Metropolitan Sewerage DistrictConventional Hydroelectric | Metropolitan Sewerage District | Buncombe | 2.4 | 3 | 1988 | Operating |
| MissionConventional Hydroelectric | Northbrook Carolina Hydro II, LLC | Clay | 1.8 | 3 | 1924 | Operating |
| High Shoals Hydro (NC)Conventional Hydroelectric | Central Rivers Power US, LLC | Lincoln | 1.8 | 1 | 1934 | Operating |
| Haw River HydroConventional Hydroelectric | Haw River Hydro Co | Alamance | 1.5 | 2 | 1981 | Operating |
| Queens CreekConventional Hydroelectric | Duke Energy Carolinas, LLC | Macon | 1.4 | 1 | 1949 | Operating |
| Ivy River HydroConventional Hydroelectric | Madison Hydro Partners | Madison | 1.2 | 6 | 1985 | Out of service but expected to return to service in next calendar year |
| Avalon HydropowerConventional Hydroelectric | Avalon Hydropower LLC | ROCKINGHAM | 1.2 | 3 | 1997 | Operating |
| Franklin (NC)Conventional Hydroelectric | Northbrook Carolina Hydro II, LLC | Macon | 1 | 2 | 1925 | Operating |
Largest hydroelectric power plants in North Carolina
- 1Cowans FordLincoln County, North Carolina350 MW
- 2Fontana DamSwain County, North Carolina254.7 MW
- 3GastonHalifax County, North Carolina177.6 MW
- 4CheoahGraham County, North Carolina140 MW
- 5Narrows (NC)Stanly County, North Carolina108.8 MW
- 6WaltersHaywood County, North Carolina108 MW
- 7Roanoke RapidsHalifax County, North Carolina100 MW
- 8TilleryMontgomery County, North Carolina84 MW
- 9Mountain IslandGaston County, North Carolina60 MW
- 10SanteetlahGraham County, North Carolina45 MW
Hydroelectric power plants by county in North Carolina
The county EIA files against each plant. It is the fastest way to find the plant nearest a given town.
| County | Plants | Nameplate MW |
|---|---|---|
| Lincoln | 2 | 351.8 |
| Halifax | 2 | 277.6 |
| Swain | 1 | 254.7 |
| Graham | 2 | 185 |
| Stanly | 2 | 140.2 |
| Montgomery | 2 | 126 |
| Haywood | 1 | 108 |
| Gaston | 1 | 60 |
| Jackson | 5 | 50.8 |
| Macon | 3 | 45.6 |
| Catawba | 1 | 36 |
| Davidson | 1 | 33 |
| Burke | 1 | 27.7 |
| Iredell | 1 | 25.8 |
| Caldwell | 1 | 25.5 |
| Clay | 2 | 15 |
| Madison | 2 | 6.2 |
| Polk | 1 | 5.4 |
| Henderson | 1 | 5 |
| Chatham | 1 | 4.4 |
| Rutherford | 1 | 3.6 |
| Buncombe | 1 | 2.4 |
| Alamance | 1 | 1.5 |
| ROCKINGHAM | 1 | 1.2 |
Hydroelectric Power Plants in North Carolina: FAQ
- How many hydroelectric power plants are in North Carolina?
- 37, with 2 GW of nameplate capacity between them, spread over 24 counties. That is the EIA-860M operating count for 2026-07.
- Is there a map of North Carolina hydroelectric power plants?
- Yes — the map above. Each dot is one hydroelectric power plant, sized by nameplate capacity and placed at the coordinates EIA files for it.
- Which is the largest hydroelectric power plant in North Carolina?
- Cowans Ford, at 350 MW. The table is sorted largest first, so the rest follow it.
- Is there a hydroelectric power plant near me in North Carolina?
- The county roll-up below groups every plant by county, which is the quickest way to find the one closest to a given town.
- Which grid operator runs North Carolina's hydroelectric power plants?
- No single ISO or RTO covers most of them. EIA files each plant against its own balancing authority, which in North Carolina is largely a vertically integrated utility rather than an organised market.
- How current is this, and what is left out?
- EIA-860M for 2026-07. Conventional hydroelectric. Pumped storage is counted separately. Plants below 1 MW are not surveyed by EIA and so are absent; retirements and additions after 2026-07 arrive with the next monthly release.