Frequently Asked Questions
How many power plants are there in the United States?
As of the end of August 2016, there were about 7,658 power plants in the United States that have operational generators with nameplate electricity generation capacities of at least 1 megawatt (MW). A power plant may have one or more generators, and some generators may use more than one type of fuel.
Learn more:
Electric Power Annual, Table 4.1: Count of electric power industry power plants by sector, by predominant energy sources within plant (some plants are double-counted by fuel type in Table 4.1), and Table 4.3: Existing capacity by energy source
Downloadable databases with detailed data on individual generators and power plants
Last updated: December 1, 2016
Other FAQs about Coal
- Does EIA have county-level energy production data?
- Does EIA have projections for energy production, consumption, and prices for individual states?
- Does EIA publish coking coal prices?
- From what country does the United States import the most coal?
- How do I convert between short tons and metric tons?
- How large are U.S. coal reserves?
- How many power plants are there in the United States?
- How much coal, natural gas, or petroleum is used to generate a kilowatthour of electricity?
- Which states produce the most coal?
- To what country does the United States export the most coal?
- What are the different coal prices published by EIA?
- What is the average heat content of U.S. coal?
- What types and amounts of energy are produced in each state?