> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://docs.gridstatus.io/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://docs.gridstatus.io/monitor/map-application.md).

# Map Application

Grid Status maps provide interactive visualizations of wholesale electricity markets and grid infrastructure.

### Map Application Overview

Use the Grid Status Map Application to explore locational marginal prices (LMPs), generation facilities, infrastructure, and balancing authorities. These tools help you understand how electricity is generated, priced, and transmitted across energy markets.

Use the **Map Menu** in the upper-left corner to switch between the following views:

* **Nodal Price Map**: Displays real-time and historical LMPs across the grid. Users can view total LMP or individual components (Energy, Congestion, and Losses). Note, locations and relationships are inferred from public sources. Not all system buses are visualized, and market coverage varies by ISO.
* **Power Plant Map:** Shows currently operational facilities across the U.S., color-coded by primary technology type (e.g., solar, wind, gas) and scaled by capacity.
* **Balancing Authorities:** Outlines the regions managed by each Balancing Authority (BA) in the U.S. This map provides a high-level view of operational boundaries and provides links to pre-built dashboards per region.
* **Grid Infrastructure**: This map displays the high-voltage grid infrastructure for the U.S. bulk power system. The map layer covers transmission lines and substations.

<figure><img src="https://815641226-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2F20ewsfdXBrjtGsAlVhBX%2Fuploads%2Fwmqfq7IFkpWMXQIrlAoF%2FCleanShot%202026-08-17%20at%2015.23.13%402x.png?alt=media&amp;token=847a91d8-617f-42f2-b1b9-377eae7b5dd8" alt=""><figcaption><p>Nodal Price Map set to view Real-Time LMP prices and Price Nodes.</p></figcaption></figure>

### Nodal Price Map

Nodal locational marginal prices (LMPs) are the backbone of wholesale electricity system optimization and power plant dispatch in power markets. These prices include the cost of energy, transmission losses, and congestion.&#x20;

#### **Customize the Nodal Price Map**

To customize the Nodal Price Map for your own analysis, you can adjust the following settings:

* &#x20;**ISO Filter:** Filter nodes by ISO/RTO. The multi-select option allows viewing more than one ISO and monitoring cross-border price dynamics.
* **Time Slider & Date Selector:** Explore historical pricing data by selecting specific dates and times.
* **Pricing Data** **Menu:** Select **Real-Time**, **Day-Ahead**, or **DART Spread** prices using the menu and the **LMP component** (energy, congestion, or loss) to adjust node color.
* **Search Bar:** Quickly find and zoom to a specific node by typing its name.
* **Layer Menu:** Switch between a stylized map view for clarity or a satellite view for geographic context. Overlay grid data with weather radar data and view current conditions affecting operations.
* **Legend Color Scale:** Choose between a fixed or dynamic scale to control how node prices are visualized. The dynamic scale adjusts to current data for better visibility of variation within an interval, while the fixed scale enables easier comparison across time.
* **Display Mode:** Choose either Nodes or Hex view. Hex view aggregates nearby nodes into hexagons colored by mean price. Useful for spotting regional patterns when individual nodes are too dense.

#### Nodal Prices & Coordinates

<figure><img src="https://815641226-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2F20ewsfdXBrjtGsAlVhBX%2Fuploads%2FTLtqaTRncKN62dWrKmNz%2FCleanShot%202026-08-17%20at%2017.05.24%402x.png?alt=media&amp;token=8663f86a-859f-4f0a-b6ca-37fe0f4fdbd3" alt=""><figcaption><p>CIN.TIPMONT Node with pricing chart and data table view opened.</p></figcaption></figure>

* **Pricing Chart Preview:** When a node is clicked, the bottom panel provides real-time and day-ahead pricing data for the selected node. Open the node’s full analytics page in the Nodal Analysis Application using the location button.
* **Data Table:** Open the data table to view pricing components per node. You can search and filter for in view pricing nodes using the toggle.
* **Nodal Coordinates:** Users with a Grid Status Enterprise subscription can export the full list of price node locations directly from the Nodal Price Map. The export option is located in the Map Layers settings panel under **Price Nodes**.

<figure><img src="https://815641226-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2F20ewsfdXBrjtGsAlVhBX%2Fuploads%2FoxinZ1mB3B00tEjf2CEY%2FCleanShot%202026-08-18%20at%2010.39.41%402x.png?alt=media&amp;token=9339c65a-ef27-40a3-b88a-7ac6a1b958d5" alt="" width="563"><figcaption><p>Export Button for Price Node Geo Data and filter the export to include nodes without pricing data.</p></figcaption></figure>

### Power Plant Map

<figure><img src="https://815641226-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2F20ewsfdXBrjtGsAlVhBX%2Fuploads%2FlNxzzrpH2UlL8gdTJ8QI%2FCleanShot%202026-08-18%20at%2011.15.33%402x.png?alt=media&amp;token=a7476640-5c04-44cd-8ece-59702f490cf3" alt=""><figcaption><p>Roseton Generating Facility and generation data. </p></figcaption></figure>

The Power Plant layer visualizes generation facilities across the U.S. Enable this layer from the Map Layers menu and zoom in to see assets near pricing nodes. Hovering over a power plant displays key facility details, including the plant name, owner, primary technology, number of units, and total capacity.

**Map  Filters and Customization**

Power plants are displayed using color-coded markers based on their primary technology type (such as solar, wind, or gas). Marker size scales by plant capacity, making larger facilities easier to identify at a glance.

You can further refine the view by size, capacity, and growth curve. These controls make it easier to focus on relevant asset classes, reduce visual noise, and perform spatial analysis when evaluating congestion, pricing risk, or project siting near key grid infrastructure.

**Generation History**

Click a power plant when the power plant layer is available and view a stacked monthly bar graph of the plant's output. The stack is by fuel type and uses gross generation for the y-axis value.

To view the dataset, you can check out [EIA Power Plant Operations](https://www.gridstatus.io/datasets/eia_power_plant_operations) dataset.

### Grid Infrastructure Map

<figure><img src="https://815641226-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2F20ewsfdXBrjtGsAlVhBX%2Fuploads%2FsWjNmKfoBwzDSiYUDIDN%2Fimage.png?alt=media&amp;token=f111137a-45d9-4a09-a041-ba314c18476e" alt=""><figcaption><p>View of Don Marquis Substation on the Grid Infrastructure map.</p></figcaption></figure>

The map can viewed either as a Nodal Price Map layer or a standalone map. This map layer is tied to the **transmission lines** and **substations**. Double-click to zoom on that substation and the geographic area. Clicking on a transmission line will automatically bring the line and other selected map information into focus for you to view what is in proximity of the line.

The line name, voltage, operator, and type will appear when you hover over a specific transmission line. To locate the grid asset, use the following methods:

* Keyword search for Transmission Line/Substation
* Voltage Class


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