Monticello Dam
Monticello Dam is an 11.5-megawatt conventional hydroelectric plant in Solano County, California, made up of three generating units. The powerhouse sits at the base of the Bureau of Reclamation's Monticello Dam on Putah Creek, drawing on releases from Lake Berryessa. It is owned and operated by the Solano Irrigation District (SID) under FERC Project No. 2780, the first hydro project owned by a local agency at the base of a federal dam in the United States. SID sells the plant's output to Pacific Gas and Electric under a long-term power purchase agreement tied to the FERC license, both of which are set to expire in 2031. In December 2025, SID filed a notice of intent with FERC to seek a new license for the project and is proceeding through FERC's Traditional Licensing Process, which the agency approved in February 2026. Power output at the plant is a byproduct of water-delivery operations rather than grid demand, since flows are set by irrigation and municipal water orders along the Solano Project.