# Panoche Energy Center CAISO Natural Gas Fired Combustion Turbine · https://askthegrid.com/assets/facilities/panoche-energy-center Panoche Energy Center is a natural gas-fired power facility with 432 MW of EIA-reported nameplate capacity in Fresno County, California, registered as EIA Plant ID 56803. Panoche Energy Center, LLC owns and operates the plant, a subsidiary of EIF Panoche LLC. Panoche Energy Center is described as the largest LMS100 peaking facility in the United States. Its four fast-start GE LMS100 turbines were dispatched by Pacific Gas and Electric Company for regional power supply and grid-stabilization needs. ## Key facts - Technology: Natural Gas Fired Combustion Turbine - Power capacity: 432 MW - Operating status: operating ## Grid and market context - ISO/RTO: CAISO - Balancing authority: CISO - Substation: Panoche Substation - Point of interconnection: Panoche Substation - Transmission owner: Pacific Gas and Electric Company - Interconnection voltage: 230 kV ## Source-backed facts - Owner logo domain: ares.com — Ares Management · confidence: medium - Identifiers: [{"value":"56803","system":"EIA plant ID"},{"value":"56803","system":"EPA GHGRP plant code"},{"value":"CISO","system":"CAISO balancing authority"},{"value":"CAISO","system":"ISO/RTO market"},{"value":"52","system":"CAISO interconnection queue ID"},{"value":"PANOCHE ENERGY CENTER (Aggregated)","system":"CAISO resource name"},{"value":"06-AFC-05","system":"California Energy Commission docket"},{"value":"06-AFC-05C","system":"California Energy Commission compliance docket"}] — GHG Summary Report · confidence: medium - Identifiers: [{"value":"56803","system":"EIA plant ID"},{"value":"56803","system":"EPA GHGRP plant code"},{"value":"CISO","system":"CAISO balancing authority"},{"value":"CAISO","system":"ISO/RTO market"},{"value":"52","system":"CAISO interconnection queue ID"},{"value":"PANOCHE ENERGY CENTER (Aggregated)","system":"CAISO resource name"},{"value":"06-AFC-05","system":"California Energy Commission docket"},{"value":"06-AFC-05C","system":"California Energy Commission compliance docket"}] — 2025 NQC List · confidence: medium - Identifiers: [{"value":"56803","system":"EIA plant ID"},{"value":"56803","system":"EPA GHGRP plant code"},{"value":"CISO","system":"CAISO balancing authority"},{"value":"CAISO","system":"ISO/RTO market"},{"value":"52","system":"CAISO interconnection queue ID"},{"value":"PANOCHE ENERGY CENTER (Aggregated)","system":"CAISO resource name"},{"value":"06-AFC-05","system":"California Energy Commission docket"},{"value":"06-AFC-05C","system":"California Energy Commission compliance docket"}] — Panoche Energy Center | California Energy Commission · confidence: medium - Identifiers: [{"value":"56803","system":"EIA plant ID"},{"value":"56803","system":"EPA GHGRP plant code"},{"value":"CISO","system":"CAISO balancing authority"},{"value":"CAISO","system":"ISO/RTO market"},{"value":"52","system":"CAISO interconnection queue ID"},{"value":"PANOCHE ENERGY CENTER (Aggregated)","system":"CAISO resource name"},{"value":"06-AFC-05","system":"California Energy Commission docket"},{"value":"06-AFC-05C","system":"California Energy Commission compliance docket"}] — California Energy Commission : Docket Log · confidence: medium - Official project url: https://www.energy.ca.gov/powerplant/simple-cycle/panoche-energy-center — Panoche Energy Center | California Energy Commission · confidence: high - Canonical name: Panoche Energy Center — Panoche Energy Center | California Energy Commission · confidence: high - Canonical name: Panoche Energy Center — GHG Summary Report · confidence: high - Identifiers.0: {"value":"56803","system":"EIA plant ID"} — GHG Summary Report · confidence: medium - Identifiers.1: {"value":"56803","system":"EPA GHGRP plant code"} — GHG Summary Report · confidence: high - Identifiers.5: {"value":"PANOCHE ENERGY CENTER (Aggregated)","system":"CAISO resource name"} — 2025 NQC List · confidence: high - Identifiers.6: {"value":"06-AFC-05","system":"California Energy Commission docket"} — Panoche Energy Center | California Energy Commission · confidence: high - Identifiers.7: {"value":"06-AFC-05C","system":"California Energy Commission compliance docket"} — California Energy Commission : Docket Log · confidence: high - Parties.2: {"relationship":"Ultimate parent / investment sponsor","name":"Ares Energy Investors Fund V L.P.","official_url":"https://www.ares.com/"} — Ares Management · confidence: medium - Parties.6: {"relationship":"Combustion turbine OEM","name":"General Electric","official_url":"https://www.ge.com/"} — Panoche Energy Center | California Energy Commission · confidence: high - Parties.8: {"relationship":"Original developer","name":"Energy Investors Funds","official_url":null} — Power plant profile: Panoche Energy Center, US · confidence: medium - Site acres: 12.8 — Top Plant: Panoche Energy Center, Firebaugh, California · confidence: medium - Construction scope: 400 MW natural-gas-fired simple-cycle generating facility in western Fresno County consisting of four General Electric LMS100 combustion turbine generators and associated equipment. Each CTG has water injection, selective catalytic reduction with aqueous ammonia injection, and an oxidation catalyst. Auxiliary systems include inlet-air foggers and evaporative coolers, a step-up transformer, compressed-air system, control enclosures, aqueous-ammonia storage, natural-gas fuel system, water treatment and storage, wastewater systems, and site stormwater drainage. — Panoche Energy Center | California Energy Commission · confidence: high - Product url: https://www.gevernova.com/gas-power/products/gas-turbines/lms100 — LMS100 Aeroderivative Gas Turbine | GE Vernova · confidence: high - Kind: thermal — Panoche Energy Center | California Energy Commission · confidence: high - Manufacturer domain: gevernova.com — LMS100 Aeroderivative Gas Turbine | GE Vernova · confidence: medium - Equipment models: [{"manufacturer_domain":"gevernova.com","product_url":"https://www.gevernova.com/gas-power/products/gas-turbines/lms100","count":4,"unit_mw":100,"name":"LMS100 simple-cycle combustion turbine generator"}] — Panoche Energy Center | California Energy Commission · confidence: medium - Product family: LMS100 — Panoche Energy Center | California Energy Commission · confidence: high - Product family: LMS100 — LMS100 Aeroderivative Gas Turbine | GE Vernova · confidence: high - Manufacturer name: General Electric — Panoche Energy Center | California Energy Commission · confidence: high - Equipment models.0: {"manufacturer_domain":"gevernova.com","product_url":"https://www.gevernova.com/gas-power/products/gas-turbines/lms100","count":4,"unit_mw":100,"name":"LMS100 simple-cycle combustion turbine generator"} — Panoche Energy Center | California Energy Commission · confidence: medium - Quality notes: ["Capacity figures vary by source: the California Energy Commission lists the certified facility at 400 MW, the EIA-based plant record lists 432 MW of nameplate capacity, and S&P Global reports 427 MW with 417 MW sold under the tolling arrangement; these figures refer to the same Panoche Energy Center.","Commercial-operation timing is reported as June 1, 2009 by POWER and July 1, 2009 by the California Energy Commission; July 1, 2009 is used as the regulatory commercial-operation date.","The exact project was developed and financed as a greenfield facility rather than documented as an acquired operating asset. As of January 30, 2026, S&P Global reported that it was in an auction as Ares pursued a conventional-generation divestiture; no buyer, completed closing month, or sale consideration is identified.","A June 4, 2025 upstream-ownership notice concerns the separate 49.5 MW CalPeak Power-Panoche facility in Firebaugh, not the 400/432 MW Panoche Energy Center. No expansion, retirement, or repowering milestone is identified in the cited project history."] — Source · confidence: medium - Quality notes: ["Capacity figures vary by source: the California Energy Commission lists the certified facility at 400 MW, the EIA-based plant record lists 432 MW of nameplate capacity, and S&P Global reports 427 MW with 417 MW sold under the tolling arrangement; these figures refer to the same Panoche Energy Center.","Commercial-operation timing is reported as June 1, 2009 by POWER and July 1, 2009 by the California Energy Commission; July 1, 2009 is used as the regulatory commercial-operation date.","The exact project was developed and financed as a greenfield facility rather than documented as an acquired operating asset. As of January 30, 2026, S&P Global reported that it was in an auction as Ares pursued a conventional-generation divestiture; no buyer, completed closing month, or sale consideration is identified.","A June 4, 2025 upstream-ownership notice concerns the separate 49.5 MW CalPeak Power-Panoche facility in Firebaugh, not the 400/432 MW Panoche Energy Center. No expansion, retirement, or repowering milestone is identified in the cited project history."] — Research Update: Panoche Energy Center, LLC Outlo | S&P Global Ratings · confidence: medium - Commercial parties.1: {"relationship":"Direct parent company","name":"EIF Panoche LLC","detail":"Direct parent of Panoche Energy Center, LLC.","official_url":null} — Research Update: Panoche Energy Center, LLC Outlo | S&P Global Ratings · confidence: medium - Commercial parties.2: {"relationship":"Ultimate parent and investment sponsor","name":"Ares Energy Investors Fund V L.P.","detail":"Indirect ultimate parent identified for Panoche Energy Center, LLC; Ares was pursuing a conventional-generation portfolio divestiture involving the project.","official_url":"https://www.ares.com/"} — Research Update: Panoche Energy Center, LLC Outlo | S&P Global Ratings · confidence: medium - Commercial parties.6: {"relationship":"Engineering, procurement, and construction contractor","name":"Kiewit Power Engineers and Kiewit Power Constructors","detail":"Performed the full-wrap EPC scope for the project; the project profile also identifies Kiewit Engineering & Design for engineering, procurement, and construction services.","official_url":"https://www.kiewit.com/"} — Top Plant: Panoche Energy Center, Firebaugh, California · confidence: medium - Commercial parties.7: {"relationship":"Combustion-turbine OEM","name":"General Electric","detail":"Supplied four LMS100 simple-cycle combustion turbines and provided the turbine technology used at the facility.","official_url":"https://www.ge.com/"} — Top Plant: Panoche Energy Center, Firebaugh, California · confidence: high - Commercial parties.8: {"relationship":"Major-maintenance services provider","name":"GE Energy","detail":"Provided major maintenance services under a contractual services agreement, according to S&P Global.","official_url":"https://www.ge.com/"} — Research Update: Panoche Energy Center, LLC Outlo | S&P Global Ratings · confidence: medium - Commercial parties.10: {"relationship":"Historical operations and maintenance contractor","name":"The Wood Group","detail":"Identified in the 2010 project account as the onsite operations and maintenance contractor during the facility's early operating period.","official_url":"https://www.woodplc.com/"} — Top Plant: Panoche Energy Center, Firebaugh, California · confidence: medium - Commercial parties.11: {"relationship":"Historical asset manager","name":"Power Plant Management Services","detail":"Retained as asset manager during the facility's initial construction and operating period.","official_url":null} — Top Plant: Panoche Energy Center, Firebaugh, California · confidence: medium - Quality notes.0: Capacity figures vary by source: the California Energy Commission lists the certified facility at 400 MW, the EIA-based plant record lists 432 MW of nameplate capacity, and S&P Global reports 427 MW with 417 MW sold under the tolling arrangement; these figures refer to the same Panoche Energy Center. — Source · confidence: medium - Quality notes.1: Commercial-operation timing is reported as June 1, 2009 by POWER and July 1, 2009 by the California Energy Commission; July 1, 2009 is used as the regulatory commercial-operation date. — Top Plant: Panoche Energy Center, Firebaugh, California · confidence: high - Quality notes.1: Commercial-operation timing is reported as June 1, 2009 by POWER and July 1, 2009 by the California Energy Commission; July 1, 2009 is used as the regulatory commercial-operation date. — Panoche Energy Center · confidence: high - Quality notes.2: The exact project was developed and financed as a greenfield facility rather than documented as an acquired operating asset. As of January 30, 2026, S&P Global reported that it was in an auction as Ares pursued a conventional-generation divestiture; no buyer, completed closing month, or sale consideration is identified. — Research Update: Panoche Energy Center, LLC Outlo | S&P Global Ratings · confidence: medium - Quality notes.3: A June 4, 2025 upstream-ownership notice concerns the separate 49.5 MW CalPeak Power-Panoche facility in Firebaugh, not the 400/432 MW Panoche Energy Center. No expansion, retirement, or repowering milestone is identified in the cited project history. — Panoche Energy Center · confidence: high - Timeline.3: {"event":"EPC contract","date":"2007-07-07","detail":"A full-wrap engineering, procurement, and construction contract was signed with Kiewit Power Engineers and Kiewit Power Constructors."} — Top Plant: Panoche Energy Center, Firebaugh, California · confidence: medium - Timeline.4: {"event":"CEC certification","date":"2007-12-19","detail":"The California Energy Commission certified the Panoche Energy Center project under Docket 06-AFC-05."} — Panoche Energy Center · confidence: high - Timeline.5: {"event":"Project financial close","date":"2008-01","detail":"Financial closing occurred before construction; the project used a $321 million Series 2008 senior secured revenue-bond financing to help fund construction."} — Top Plant: Panoche Energy Center, Firebaugh, California · confidence: medium - Timeline.6: {"event":"Construction start","date":"2008-02-12","detail":"Construction began after financial closing, with the combustion-turbine foundations completed early in the construction schedule."} — Top Plant: Panoche Energy Center, Firebaugh, California · confidence: high - Timeline.7: {"event":"Turbine installation","date":"2008-10","detail":"The four combustion turbines and associated equipment were set during the October-December 2008 installation period."} — Top Plant: Panoche Energy Center, Firebaugh, California · confidence: medium - Timeline.8: {"event":"Reported early commercial operation","date":"2009-06-01","detail":"POWER reported that commercial operation was achieved on June 1, 2009, ahead of the contractual deadline."} — Top Plant: Panoche Energy Center, Firebaugh, California · confidence: medium - Timeline.9: {"event":"Regulatory commercial operation","date":"2009-07-01","detail":"The California Energy Commission records the facility as beginning commercial operation on July 1, 2009."} — Panoche Energy Center · confidence: medium - Timeline.10: {"event":"Sale process","date":"2026-01-30","detail":"S&P Global reported that the project was being offered through an auction as Ares sought to divest conventional-generation assets. The source does not identify a buyer or a completed transaction closing date."} — Research Update: Panoche Energy Center, LLC Outlo | S&P Global Ratings · confidence: medium - Acquisition detail: Ares EIF acquired the Panoche Energy Center utilities company in a buyout transaction; the transaction concerned ownership of the project company rather than an explicitly documented sale of the physical plant. — Ares EIF Acquires Panoche Energy Center | Mergr · confidence: medium - Acquisition date: 2008-01-30 — Ares EIF Acquires Panoche Energy Center | Mergr · confidence: medium - Acquirer: Ares EIF — Ares EIF Acquires Panoche Energy Center | Mergr · confidence: medium - Transaction scope: ownership_stake — Ares EIF Acquires Panoche Energy Center | Mergr · confidence: medium - Substation: Panoche Substation — Panoche Energy Center · confidence: high - Interconnection voltage kv: 230 — DOCKET - California Energy Commission : e-filing · confidence: high ## Timeline - 2004-12 — Project procurement origin The project originated after the California Public Utilities Commission authorized Pacific Gas and Electric Company to plan and procure reliable generation for its service territory. Source: Top Plant: Panoche Energy Center, Firebaugh, California (https://www.powermag.com/top-plant-panoche-energy-center-firebaugh-california/) - 2005-03-18 — PG&E request for offers PG&E issued a competitive request for offers for new peaking and dispatchable generation; APEX Power Group LLC was among the successful bidders. Source: Top Plant: Panoche Energy Center, Firebaugh, California (https://www.powermag.com/top-plant-panoche-energy-center-firebaugh-california/) - 2006-04 — Generation contract APEX Power Group LLC signed a contract for 400 MW of dispatchable gas-fired generation under PG&E's procurement process. Source: Top Plant: Panoche Energy Center, Firebaugh, California (https://www.powermag.com/top-plant-panoche-energy-center-firebaugh-california/) - 2007-07-07 — EPC contract A full-wrap engineering, procurement, and construction contract was signed with Kiewit Power Engineers and Kiewit Power Constructors. Source: Top Plant: Panoche Energy Center, Firebaugh, California (https://www.powermag.com/top-plant-panoche-energy-center-firebaugh-california/) - 2009-06-01 — Reported early commercial operation POWER reported that commercial operation was achieved on June 1, 2009, ahead of the contractual deadline. Source: Top Plant: Panoche Energy Center, Firebaugh, California (https://www.powermag.com/top-plant-panoche-energy-center-firebaugh-california/) ## Sources - [Research Update: Panoche Energy Center, LLC Outlo | S&P Global Ratings](https://www.spglobal.com/ratings/en/regulatory/article/-/view/type/HTML/id/3510458) — spglobal.com · tier other - [Ares Management](https://www.ares.com/) — ares.com · tier other - [GHG Summary Report](https://ghgdata.epa.gov/ghgp/html/2023.do?id=1000546&et=undefined) — ghgdata.epa.gov · tier regulatory - [2025 NQC List](https://www.caiso.com/documents/final-net-qualifying-capacity-report-for-compliance-year-2025.xlsx) — caiso.com · tier other - [Panoche Energy Center](https://www.energy.ca.gov/powerplant/simple-cycle/panoche-energy-center) — energy.ca.gov · tier regulatory - [California Energy Commission : Docket Log](https://efiling.energy.ca.gov/Lists/DocketLog.aspx?docketnumber=06-AFC-05C) — efiling.energy.ca.gov · tier regulatory - [Power plant profile: Panoche Energy Center, US](https://www.power-technology.com/data-insights/power-plant-profile-panoche-energy-center-us/) — power-technology.com · tier other - [DOCKET - California Energy Commission : e-filing](https://efiling.energy.ca.gov/GetDocument.aspx?tn=49818) — efiling.energy.ca.gov · tier regulatory - [Draft Class I Underground Injection Control Permit No. ...](https://www.epa.gov/sites/default/files/2015-11/documents/panoche-factsheet-final.pdf) — epa.gov · tier regulatory - [Top Plant: Panoche Energy Center, Firebaugh, California](https://www.powermag.com/top-plant-panoche-energy-center-firebaugh-california/) — powermag.com · tier other - [Source](https://energy.ca.gov/powerplant/simple-cycle/panoche-energy-center) — energy.ca.gov · tier regulatory - [LMS100 Aeroderivative Gas Turbine | GE Vernova](https://www.gevernova.com/gas-power/products/gas-turbines/lms100) — gevernova.com · tier other - [Ares EIF Acquires Panoche Energy Center | Mergr](https://mergr.com/transaction/ares-eif-acquires-panoche-energy-center) — mergr.com · tier other - [2026 NQC List](https://www.caiso.com/documents/net-qualifying-capacity-report-for-compliance-year-2026.xlsx) — caiso.com · tier other - [Announced Resource Retirement and Mothball List posted | California ISO](https://www.caiso.com/notices/announced-resource-retirement-and-mothball-list-posted-4) — caiso.com · tier other - [Panoche Hybrid Energy Center](https://middleriverpower.com/assets/panoche-hybrid-energy-center/) — middleriverpower.com · tier other ## Data quality - Capacity figures vary by source: the California Energy Commission lists the certified facility at 400 MW, the EIA-based plant record lists 432 MW of nameplate capacity, and S&P Global reports 427 MW with 417 MW sold under the tolling arrangement; these figures refer to the same Panoche Energy Center. The exact project was developed and financed as a greenfield facility rather than documented as an acquired operating asset. As of January 30, 2026, S&P Global reported that it was in an auction as Ares pursued a conventional-generation divestiture; no buyer, completed closing month, or sale consideration is identified. A June 4, 2025 upstream-ownership notice concerns the separate 49.5 MW CalPeak Power-Panoche facility in Firebaugh, not the 400/432 MW Panoche Energy Center. No expansion, retirement, or repowering milestone is identified in the cited project history. --- Canonical page: https://askthegrid.com/assets/facilities/panoche-energy-center Source: Ask the Grid — https://askthegrid.com/