Table 4.3. Existing Capacity by Energy Source, 2011 (Megawatts)

Energy Source Number of Generators Generator Nameplate Capacity Net Summer Capacity Net Winter Capacity
Coal 1,400 343,757 317,640 320,185
Petroleum 3,738 57,537 51,208 55,179
Natural Gas 5,574 477,387 415,191 448,456
Other Gases 91 2,202 1,934 1,919
Nuclear 104 107,001 101,419 103,507
Hydroelectric Conventional 4,048 78,194 78,652 78,107
Wind 781 45,982 45,676 45,689
Solar Thermal and Photovoltaic 326 1,564 1,524 1,411
Wood and Wood-Derived Fuels 345 8,014 7,077 7,151
Geothermal 226 3,500 2,409 2,596
Other Biomass 1,660 5,192 4,536 4,600
Hydroelectric Pumped Storage 154 20,816 22,293 22,268
Other Energy Sources 81 1,697 1,420 1,424
Total 18,530 1,153,149 1,051,251 1,092,780

Notes: Coal includes anthracite, bituminous, subbituminous, lignite, and waste coal; coal synfuel and refined coal; and beginning in 2011, coal-derived synthesis gas. Prior to 2011, coal-derived synthesis gas was included in Other Gases.
Petroleum includes distillate fuel oil (all diesel and No. 1, No. 2, and No. 4 fuel oils), residual fuel oil (No. 5 and No. 6 fuel oils and bunker C fuel oil), jet fuel, kerosene, petroleum coke (converted to liquid petroleum, see Technical Notes for conversion methodology), waste oil, and beginning in 2011, synthetic gas and propane. Prior to 2011, synthetic gas and propane were included in Other Gases.
Other Gases includes blast furnace gas. Prior to 2011, waste heat was included in Natural Gas.
Hydroelectric Conventional capacity includes conventional hydroelectric power excluding pumped storage facilities.
Wood and wood-derived fuels include wood/wood waste solids (including paper pellets, railroad ties, utility poles, wood chips, bark, and wood waste solids), wood waste liquids (red liquor, sludge wood, spent sulfite liquor, and other wood-based liquids), and black liquor.
Other Biomass include municipal solid waste, landfill gas, sludge waste, agricultural byproducts, other biomass solids, other biomass liquids, and other biomass gases (including digester gases, methane, and other biomass gases).
Hydroelectric Conventional capacity includes conventional hydroelectric power excluding pumped storage facilities.
Other Energy Sources include batteries, hydrogen, purchased steam, sulfur, tire-derived fuels and other miscellaneous energy sources.
Capacity by energy source is based on the capacity associated with the energy source reported as the most predominant (primary) one, where more than one energy source is associated with a generator.
In 2011, EIA corrected the NAICS codes of several plants which resulted in a net capacity shift from the electric utility sector to the commercial sector.
Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration, Form EIA-860, 'Annual Electric Generator Report.'