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Cedar Falls, IA · Black Hawk County · 42.490°N 92.481°W
Straight-line distances. Nearest named waterway via the USGS National Hydrography Dataset; nearest transmission line via HIFLD. Baseline water stress and groundwater trend describe the surrounding hydrological basin (WRI Aqueduct 4.0, CC BY 4.0) — not this facility’s measured water use. Principal-aquifer system underlying the location (USGS, mapped at 1:2,500,000 — regional context, not site hydrogeology).
Two gas-fired reciprocating engines producing a combined 37 MW initially, with space reserved on the 48-acre site for future expansion. Cedar Falls Utilities general manager Susan Abernathy framed the plant as local backup generation: 'If push comes to shove with local generation, we can be islanded; we can take care of ourselves.' Iowa Public Radio reported load growth from data center development, alongside Iowa's over-60-percent renewable penetration, as the grid pressures behind the project. No named offtaker: this is municipal utility generation, not a contracted data center supply, so no offtaker is recorded.
The city council approved the rezoning and land conveyance unanimously on first reading (2026-06-15). Resident Kamyar Enshayan argued renewables and battery storage would prove more reliable long term: 'Iowa's native sources of energy are the sun and the wind and a culture of conservation.'
Cedar Falls approves new $80M gas power plantCedar Falls City Council unanimously approved rezoning and conveyance of 48 acres to Cedar Falls Utilities on first reading; Iowa Utilities Commission approval still required.
Cedar Falls approves new $80M gas power plantReported: data based on credible news outlets or industry sources.
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