Contents
- US electricity generation mix statistics: annual coal generation
- US electricity generation mix statistics: natural gas generation
- US electricity generation mix statistics: nuclear generation
- US electricity generation mix statistics: conventional hydroelectric generation
- US electricity generation mix: estimated total solar photovoltaic generation
- Sources
US electricity generation mix statistics: annual coal generation
Coal generation in the EIA table is net generation from utility-scale facilities, measured in thousand megawatthours. The annual record moves from 1,239,149 in 2016 to 1,205,835 in 2017 and 1,149,487 in 2018. It then falls to 964,957 in 2019 and 773,393 in 2020, rises to 897,999 in 2021, and declines to 831,512 in 2022 and 675,115 in 2023. The 2024 observation is 652,156, followed by 734,928 in 2025. Source: EIA Electric Power Monthly, Table 1.1
| Year | Utility-scale coal net generation (thousand megawatthours) |
|---|---|
| 2016 | 1,239,149 |
| 2017 | 1,205,835 |
| 2018 | 1,149,487 |
| 2019 | 964,957 |
| 2020 | 773,393 |
| 2021 | 897,999 |
| 2022 | 831,512 |
| 2023 | 675,115 |
| 2024 | 652,156 |
| 2025 | 734,928 |
Source: EIA Electric Power Monthly, Table 1.1
The sequence records declines from 2016 through 2020, an increase in 2021, and further declines through 2024 before the 2025 increase. Those statements describe the direction of the annual totals; the table does not provide reasons for the movements. The lowest value in the listed years is 652,156 in 2024, while the highest is 1,239,149 in 2016. Source: EIA Electric Power Monthly, Table 1.1
These are quantities, not percentages of total U.S. generation. The table divides generation into utility-scale facilities and small-scale generation, and the coal series shown here belongs to the utility-scale section. A share claim would require an appropriate total-generation denominator; the selected coal observations alone do not provide one. The values for 2025 and prior years are final in the cited table. Source: EIA Electric Power Monthly, Table 1.1
US electricity generation mix statistics: natural gas generation
Natural gas utility-scale net generation was 1,379,271 thousand megawatthours in 2016 and 1,297,703 in 2017. The annual total then rose to 1,471,843 in 2018, 1,588,533 in 2019 and 1,626,790 in 2020. It was 1,579,190 in 2021, then 1,687,065 in 2022, 1,806,063 in 2023, 1,869,902 in 2024 and 1,811,004 in 2025. Each value is from the same annual utility-scale net-generation series and uses the same unit as the coal observations. Source: EIA Electric Power Monthly, Table 1.1
| Year | Utility-scale natural gas net generation (thousand megawatthours) |
|---|---|
| 2016 | 1,379,271 |
| 2017 | 1,297,703 |
| 2018 | 1,471,843 |
| 2019 | 1,588,533 |
| 2020 | 1,626,790 |
| 2021 | 1,579,190 |
| 2022 | 1,687,065 |
| 2023 | 1,806,063 |
| 2024 | 1,869,902 |
| 2025 | 1,811,004 |
Source: EIA Electric Power Monthly, Table 1.1
The annual observations do not rise every year. The figure falls from 2016 to 2017, increases in each year from 2018 through 2020, dips in 2021, and increases from 2022 through 2024 before falling in 2025. The highest listed total is 1,869,902 in 2024; the 2025 figure is 1,811,004. These patterns describe the recorded values without assigning a cause to them. Source: EIA Electric Power Monthly, Table 1.1
The natural gas and coal figures can be compared as annual U.S. utility-scale net generation in the same unit. In 2016, the natural gas observation is 1,379,271 and coal is 1,239,149 thousand megawatthours. In 2025, natural gas is 1,811,004 and coal is 734,928. These paired quantities do not calculate either source’s share of the full generation mix. They also do not explain why the reported totals differ. Source: EIA Electric Power Monthly, Table 1.1
US electricity generation mix statistics: nuclear generation
Nuclear utility-scale net generation was 805,694 thousand megawatthours in 2016, 804,950 in 2017, 807,084 in 2018 and 809,409 in 2019. The subsequent annual observations are 789,879 in 2020, 779,645 in 2021 and 771,537 in 2022. The series then records 774,873 in 2023, 781,865 in 2024 and 785,304 in 2025. These are annual totals, rather than capacity figures or percentages. Source: EIA Electric Power Monthly, Table 1.1
| Year | Utility-scale nuclear net generation (thousand megawatthours) |
|---|---|
| 2016 | 805,694 |
| 2017 | 804,950 |
| 2018 | 807,084 |
| 2019 | 809,409 |
| 2020 | 789,879 |
| 2021 | 779,645 |
| 2022 | 771,537 |
| 2023 | 774,873 |
| 2024 | 781,865 |
| 2025 | 785,304 |
Source: EIA Electric Power Monthly, Table 1.1
The highest observation in these years is 809,409 in 2019, and the lowest is 771,537 in 2022. After the 2022 value, the series rises in 2023, 2024 and 2025. The values therefore show a downturn followed by successive increases in the listed years, while remaining within the reported range. That is a description of the annual record and does not establish what produced the changes or what future totals will be. Source: EIA Electric Power Monthly, Table 1.1
The source labels this measure net generation at utility-scale facilities. Keeping that scope clear matters when comparing it with other categories in the same table: small-scale generation is listed separately. The observations can be compared across years on the stated annual and unit basis, but they do not, by themselves, state nuclear’s proportion of all U.S. electricity generation. Source: EIA Electric Power Monthly, Table 1.1
US electricity generation mix statistics: conventional hydroelectric generation
The table’s “Hydroelectric Conventional” row reports utility-scale net generation of 267,812 thousand megawatthours in 2016 and 300,333 in 2017. It then records 292,524 in 2018, 287,874 in 2019 and 285,274 in 2020. The total is 251,585 in 2021, 254,789 in 2022, 245,002 in 2023, 242,896 in 2024 and 241,303 in 2025. Source: EIA Electric Power Monthly, Table 1.1
The series reaches its highest listed value, 300,333, in 2017. Annual totals then decline through 2021, rise to 254,789 in 2022 and decline in each of the following years shown, reaching 241,303 in 2025. This describes the observed movement and gives no explanation for it. Source: EIA Electric Power Monthly, Table 1.1
The source’s precise row label is useful context: these observations refer to conventional hydroelectric generation, not an expanded category covering every form of hydroelectric generation. They also appear under utility-scale facilities and use net generation as the measure. The table has a separate small-scale section, and the values in this paragraph are not percentages of total generation. Source: EIA Electric Power Monthly, Table 1.1
US electricity generation mix: estimated total solar photovoltaic generation
The solar series used here is labeled “Estimated Total Solar Photovoltaic” under “Small Scale Generation.” Its annual net-generation estimates are 51,483 thousand megawatthours in 2016, 74,008 in 2017, 89,773 in 2018, 103,676 in 2019 and 127,588 in 2020. The following values are 161,499 in 2021, 202,075 in 2022, 236,090 in 2023, 300,634 in 2024 and 390,489 in 2025. Source: EIA Electric Power Monthly, Table 1.1
| Year | Small-scale estimated total solar photovoltaic net generation (thousand megawatthours) |
|---|---|
| 2016 | 51,483 |
| 2017 | 74,008 |
| 2018 | 89,773 |
| 2019 | 103,676 |
| 2020 | 127,588 |
| 2021 | 161,499 |
| 2022 | 202,075 |
| 2023 | 236,090 |
| 2024 | 300,634 |
| 2025 | 390,489 |
Source: EIA Electric Power Monthly, Table 1.1
The estimated total rises in every annual observation shown, from 51,483 in 2016 to 390,489 in 2025. The estimate label is part of the measure and should remain attached when describing the values. The table also contains separate columns for utility-scale Solar and Estimated Solar Photovoltaic; neither is interchangeable with this selected small-scale estimated total series. Source: EIA Electric Power Monthly, Table 1.1
The five series in this article share a unit and annual presentation, but their scopes differ. Coal, natural gas, nuclear and conventional hydroelectric generation are drawn from the utility-scale section. The solar observations come from the small-scale section and retain the source’s estimated-total label. Reading each series with its category and measure intact avoids treating these quantities as directly interchangeable measures of the complete U.S. electricity mix. The selected observations do not report percentage shares or explain the causes of year-to-year movement. Source: EIA Electric Power Monthly, Table 1.1