US Coal-Firing States Shrink to 18

Electricity generators that use fossil fuels (coal, natural gas or oil) continued to be the most common sources of electricity generation in 35 of the 50 United States last year.

However the number of states where coal was the most prevalent electricity generation fuel has fallen since 2007, said the US Energy Information Administration September 10, as natural gas, nuclear, and hydroelectricity have gained market share, according to a briefing published on the US EIA website September 10.

In 2017, coal provided the largest generation share in 18 states, down from 28 states in 2007. Natural gas had the largest share in 16 states, up from 11 in 2007. Oil remained largest in only one state, Hawaii.

For the US as a whole, however, natural gas provided 32% of total electricity generation in 2017, slightly higher than coal's 30% share, evidenced by the fact that gas was the dominant power feedstock in major power-producing states such as New York, Texas and California.  

As regards non-fossil fuels, nuclear provided the largest electricity share in nine states, up from six in 2007. Hydroelectricity was the most prevalent electricity generation source in six states (4 in 2007). Other renewable energies, such as wind, dominated no US state's generation - but the EIA said that may change soon with continued addition of wind turbines in states such as Kansas and Iowa. 

Among the 11 states where gas was the most prevalent electricity generation fuel in 2007, all were still using mostly natural gas in 2017, except for Maine - where hydroelectricity predominated in 2017.  

Credit: US EIA