Our annual report on electricity generation capacity in the United States breaks down the current and imminent generation of electricity by type of fuel, location, and ownership type. The report also looks at retirements and planned retirements and cancellations since 2016.
As of January 2024, America has nearly 1.3 million megawatts of generation capacity. The largest fuel source for this capacity is natural gas (43.9%), followed by coal (16%). Wind, nuclear, and hydro together account for more than one-third of capacity. Solar has increased dramatically — with more than 17,000 MW gained in 2023.
This report also analyzes prospective generation capacity in four categories — under construction, permitted, application pending, and proposed. Nearly 468,000 MW of new generation capacity is under development in the United States. Fifty-one percent of capacity most likely to come online, permitted plants and plants that are under construction, are in solar.
Capacity additions (35,807 MW) outpace the total capacity retired (15,722 MW) in 2023. A majority (65%) of the capacity retired in 2023 was from coal-fired facilities, with more than 10,000 MW retired.