Frequently Asked Questions
How many and what kind of power plants are there in the United States?
There are about 18,530 individual generators at about 6,600 operational power plants in the United States with a nameplate generation capacity of at least one MegaWatt. A power plant can have one or more generators, and some generators may use more than one type of fuel.
Learn More:
Electric Power Annual 2011, 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: February 12, 2013
Other FAQs about Electricity
- Can I choose the electricity supplier where I live?
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