Construction cost data for electric generators installed in 2021
Presented below are graphs and tables of the cost data for generators installed in 2021 based on data collected by the 2021 Annual Electric Generator Report, Form EIA-860. The cost data for certain generation technologies were omitted to avoid disclosure of individual company data.
EIA expects to publish construction cost data for generators installed in 2022 in September 2024.
Read EIA's Electric Power Data Guide.
Presented below are graphs and tables of the cost data for generators installed in 2021 based on data collected by the 2021 Annual Electric Generator Report, Form EIA-860. The cost data for certain generation technologies were omitted to avoid disclosure of individual company data.
EIA expects to publish construction cost data for generators installed in 2022 in September 2024.
Read EIA's Electric Power Data Guide.
Jump to group:
All generators by: major
energy source
prime mover
Census region
top four states in capacity additions
By selected sources and type:
Natural gas: technology
combined-cycle by prime mover
| All plants by major energy source | capacity-weighted average cost ($/kW) |
|---|---|
| wind | 1,428 |
| solar | 1,561 |
| natural gas | 920 |
| battery storage | 1,796 |
| biomass | 2,592 |
| petroleum liquids | 1,158 |
| Total capacity (MW) | at new plants | at existing plants |
|---|---|---|
| wind | 12,872 | 245 |
| solar | 12,643 | 22 |
| natural gas | 5,284 | 1,996 |
| battery storage | 1,470 | 1,602 |
| biomass | 2 | 10 |
| petroleum liquids | 0 | 35 |
| Number of plants | at new plants | at existing plants |
|---|---|---|
| wind | 62 | 4 |
| solar | 519 | 9 |
| natural gas | 54 | 11 |
| battery storage | 90 | 17 |
| biomass | 1 | 4 |
| petroleum liquids | 1 | 11 |
| All plants by major energy source | total cost (billion $) |
|---|---|
| wind | 18.7 |
| solar | 19.8 |
| natural gas | 6.7 |
| battery storage | 5.5 |
| biomass | 0.3 |
| petroleum liquids | 0.4 |
| Number of generators by major energy source | at new plants | at existing plants |
|---|---|---|
| wind | 64 | 4 |
| solar | 534 | 9 |
| natural gas | 168 | 21 |
| battery storage | 91 | 19 |
| biomass | 2 | 4 |
| petroleum liquids | 1 | 21 |
| Average new plants capacity or additional capacity at existing plants | at new plants | at existing plants |
|---|---|---|
| wind | 208 | 61 |
| solar | 24 | 2 |
| natural gas | 98 | 181 |
| battery storage | 16 | 94 |
| biomass | 2 | 3 |
| petroleum liquids | 0 | 3 |
| Capacity-weighted average cost per kilowatt of installed namepate capacity ($/kW) | capacity weighted-average cost ($/kW) |
|---|---|
| steam turbine | 2,739 |
| combustion turbine | 529 |
| combustion turbine (as part of combined cycle) | 1,145 |
| steam turbine (as part of combined cycle) | 1,585 |
| internal combustion engine | 1,378 |
| onshore wind turbine | 1,428 |
| photovoltaic | 1,561 |
| energy storage, battery | 1,796 |
| Total included capacity(MW) | at new plants | at existing plants |
|---|---|---|
| steam turbine | 4 | 11 |
| combustion turbine | 1,500 | 1,884 |
| combustion turbine (as part of combined cycle) | 1,334 | 0 |
| steam turbine (as part of combined cycle) | 1,186 | 46 |
| internal combustion engine | 76 | 102 |
| onshore wind turbine | 12,872 | 245 |
| photovoltaic | 12,643 | 22 |
| energy storage, battery | 1,470 | 1,602 |
| number of generators | at new plants | at existing plants |
|---|---|---|
| steam turbine | 1 | 5 |
| combustion turbine | 21 | 11 |
| combustion turbine (as part of combined cycle) | 7 | 0 |
| steam turbine (as part of combined cycle) | 5 | 1 |
| internal combustion engine | 135 | 29 |
| onshore wind turbine | 64 | 4 |
| photovoltaic | 534 | 9 |
| energy storage, battery | 91 | 19 |
| Average generator capacity at new or existing plants | at new plants | at existing plants |
|---|---|---|
| steam turbine | 4 | 2 |
| combustion turbine | 71 | 171 |
| combustion turbine (as part of combined cycle) | 191 | 0 |
| steam turbine (as part of combined cycle) | 237 | 46 |
| internal combustion engine | 1 | 4 |
| onshore wind turbine | 201 | 61 |
| photovoltaic | 24 | 2 |
| energy storage, battery | 16 | 84 |
| Total construction cost | total cost (billion $) |
|---|---|
| steam turbine | 0.0 |
| combustion turbine | 1.8 |
| combustion turbine (as part of combined cycle) | 1.5 |
| steam turbine (as part of combined cycle) | 2.0 |
| internal combustion engine | 0.2 |
| onshore wind turbine | 18.7 |
| photovoltaic | 19.8 |
| energy storage, battery | 5.5 |
| Census regions | capacity-weighted average cost ($/kW) |
|---|---|
| South | 1,107 |
| Midwest | 1,463 |
| West | 1,674 |
| Northeast | 2,605 |
| Total included capacity | at new plants | at existing plants |
|---|---|---|
| South | 14,798 | 2,300 |
| Midwest | 9,148 | 303 |
| West | 6,346 | 1,239 |
| Northeast | 1,980 | 69 |
| Number of plants | at new plants | at existing plants |
|---|---|---|
| South | 217 | 14 |
| Midwest | 189 | 17 |
| West | 135 | 18 |
| Northeast | 186 | 7 |
| Number of generators | at new plants | at existing plants |
|---|---|---|
| South | 322 | 19 |
| Midwest | 197 | 27 |
| West | 146 | 23 |
| Northeast | 195 | 9 |
| Average new plant or additional capacity at existing plants | at new plants | at existing plants |
|---|---|---|
| South | 68 | 164 |
| Midwest | 48 | 18 |
| West | 47 | 69 |
| Northeast | 11 | 10 |
| Census region | total cost (billion $) |
|---|---|
| South | 18.9 |
| Midwest | 13.8 |
| West | 12.7 |
| Northeast | 5.3 |
| State | capacity-weighted average cost ($/kW) |
|---|---|
| Texas | 1,111 |
| Florida | 764 |
| California | 1,980 |
| Ohio | 1,168 |
| Total included capacity | at new plants | at existing plants |
|---|---|---|
| Texas | 10,155 | 3 |
| Florida | 1,189 | 2,282 |
| California | 1,972 | 1,195 |
| Ohio | 2,347 | 5 |
| Number of plants | at new plants | at existing plants |
|---|---|---|
| Texas | 100 | 1 |
| Florida | 17 | 6 |
| California | 78 | 11 |
| Ohio | 7 | 2 |
| Number of generators | at new plants | at existing plants |
|---|---|---|
| Texas | 204 | 1 |
| Florida | 17 | 10 |
| California | 88 | 13 |
| Ohio | 10 | 2 |
| Average new plant or additional capacity at existing plants | at new plants | at existing plants |
|---|---|---|
| Texas | 102 | 3 |
| Florida | 70 | 380 |
| California | 25 | 109 |
| Ohio | 335 | 2 |
| State | total cost (billion $) |
|---|---|
| Texas | 11.3 |
| Florida | 2.7 |
| California | 6.3 |
| Ohio | 2.7 |
| Natural gas plants by type | capacity-weighted average cost ($/kW) |
|---|---|
| combined cycle | 1,252 |
| combustion turbine | 512 |
| internal combustion engine | 1,323 |
| steam turbine | 5,953 |
| Total included capacity (MW) | at new plants | at existing plants |
|---|---|---|
| combined cycle | 3,707 | 46 |
| combustion turbine | 1,500 | 1,878 |
| internal combustion engine | 74 | 61 |
| steam turbine | 4 | 12 |
| Number of plants | at new plants | at existing plants |
|---|---|---|
| combined cycle | 5 | 1 |
| combustion turbine | 4 | 5 |
| internal combustion engine | 44 | 2 |
| steam turbine | 1 | 3 |
| Number of generators | at new plants | at existing plants |
|---|---|---|
| combined cycle | 14 | 1 |
| combustion turbine | 21 | 11 |
| internal combustion engine | 132 | 5 |
| steam turbine | 1 | 4 |
| Average new plants capacity or additional capacity at existing plants | at new plants | at existing plants |
|---|---|---|
| combined cycle | 741 | 46 |
| combustion turbine | 375 | 376 |
| internal combustion engine | 2 | 31 |
| steam turbine | 4 | 4 |
| Total construction cost | total cost (billion $) |
|---|---|
| combined cycle | 4.7 |
| combustion turbine | 1.7 |
| internal combustion engine | 0.2 |
| steam turbine | 0.0 |
| Natural gas combined cycle plants by component | capacity-weighted average cost ($/kW) |
|---|---|
| combustion turbine | 1,145 |
| steam turbine | 1,585 |
| Total capacity | at new plants | at existing plants |
|---|---|---|
| combustion turbine | 1,334 | 0 |
| steam turbine | 1,186 | 46 |
| Number of generators | at new plants | at existing plants |
|---|---|---|
| combustion turbine | 7 | 0 |
| steam turbine | 5 | 1 |
| Average new plant or additional capacity at existing plants | at new plants | at existing plants |
|---|---|---|
| combustion turbine | 191 | 0 |
| steam turbine | 237 | 46 |
| Natural gas generators at combined-cycle plants by prime mover | total cost (billion $) |
|---|---|
| combustion turbine | 1.5 |
| steam turbine | 2.0 |
| Census regions | capacity-weighted average cost ($/kW) |
|---|---|
| South | 1,431 |
| West | 1,445 |
| Midwest | 1,770 |
| Northeast | 2,988 |
| Total included capacity | at new plants | at existing plants |
|---|---|---|
| South | 7,211 | 7 |
| West | 2,976 | 1 |
| Midwest | 1,821 | 15 |
| Northeast | 635 | 0 |
| Number of plants | at new plants | at existing plants |
|---|---|---|
| South | 135 | 3 |
| West | 93 | 1 |
| Midwest | 154 | 5 |
| Northeast | 137 | 0 |
| Number of generators | at new plants | at existing plants |
|---|---|---|
| South | 138 | 3 |
| West | 100 | 1 |
| Midwest | 158 | 5 |
| Northeast | 138 | 0 |
| Average new plant or additional capacity at existing plants | at new plants | at existing plants |
|---|---|---|
| South | 53 | 2 |
| West | 32 | 1 |
| Midwest | 12 | 3 |
| Northeast | 5 | 0 |
| Region | total cost (billion $) |
|---|---|
| South | 10.3 |
| West | 4.3 |
| Midwest | 3.2 |
| Northeast | 1.9 |
| Census regions | capacity-weighted average cost ($/kW) |
|---|---|
| Texas | 1,367 |
| Florida | 1,127 |
| California | 1,640 |
| Georgia | 1,714 |
| North Carolina | 1,521 |
| Total included capacity | at new plants | at existing plants |
|---|---|---|
| Texas | 3,586 | 0 |
| Florida | 1,178 | 0 |
| California | 1,171 | 0 |
| Georgia | 869 | 1 |
| North Carolina | 633 | 5 |
| Number of plants | at new plants | at existing plants |
|---|---|---|
| Texas | 26 | 0 |
| Florida | 16 | 0 |
| California | 52 | 0 |
| Georgia | 9 | 1 |
| North Carolina | 39 | 1 |
| Number of generators | at new plants | at existing plants |
|---|---|---|
| Texas | 28 | 0 |
| Florida | 16 | 0 |
| California | 59 | 0 |
| Georgia | 9 | 1 |
| North Carolina | 39 | 1 |
| Average new plant or additional capacity at existing plants | at new plants | at existing plants |
|---|---|---|
| Texas | 138 | 0 |
| Florida | 74 | 0 |
| California | 23 | 0 |
| Georgia | 97 | 1 |
| North Carolina | 16 | 5 |
| State | total cost (billion $) |
|---|---|
| Texas | 4.9 |
| Florida | 1.3 |
| California | 1.9 |
| Georgia | 1.5 |
| North Carolina | 1.0 |
| Solar PV plants by tracking system | capacity-weighted average cost ($/kW) |
|---|---|
| crystalline silicon, fixed tilt |
2,047 |
| crystalline silicon, axis-based tracking |
1,423 |
| thin-film CdTe, all types |
1,626 |
| other | 1,344 |
| Total included capacity | at new plants | at existing plants |
|---|---|---|
| crystalline silicon, fixed tilt |
1,624 | 9 |
| crystalline silicon, axis-based tracking |
6,703 | 8 |
| thin-film CdTe, all types |
3,796 | 5 |
| other | 519 | 0 |
| Number of plants | at new plants | at existing plants |
|---|---|---|
| crystalline silicon, fixed tilt |
221 | 6 |
| crystalline silicon, axis-based tracking |
228 | 2 |
| thin-film CdTe, all types |
43 | 1 |
| other | 27 | 0 |
| Number of generators | at new plants | at existing plants |
|---|---|---|
| crystalline silicon, fixed tilt |
229 | 6 |
| crystalline silicon, axis-based tracking |
234 | 2 |
| thin-film CdTe, all types |
44 | 1 |
| other | 27 | 0 |
| Average new plant or additional capacity at existing plants | at new plants | at existing plants |
|---|---|---|
| crystalline silicon, fixed tilt |
7 | 2 |
| crystalline silicon, axis-based tracking |
29 | 4 |
| thin-film CdTe, all types |
88 | 5 |
| other | 19 | 0 |
| Solar PV plants by tracking system | total cost (billion $) |
|---|---|
| crystalline silicon, fixed tilt |
3.3 |
| crystalline silicon, axis-based tracking |
9.5 |
| thin-film CdTe, all types |
6.2 |
| other | 0.7 |
| Plant size | capacity-weighted average cost ($/kW) |
|---|---|
| 1–5 MW | 2,866 |
| 5–10 MW | 2,391 |
| 10–100 MW | 1,518 |
| 100–500 MW | 1,386 |
| Total included capacity | at new plants | at existing plants |
|---|---|---|
| 1–5 MW | 977 | 22 |
| 5–10 MW | 183 | 0 |
| 10–100 MW | 4,231 | 0 |
| 100–500 MW | 7,252 | 0 |
| Number of plants | at new plants | at existing plants |
|---|---|---|
| 1–5 MW | 390 | 9 |
| 5–10 MW | 21 | 0 |
| 10–100 MW | 70 | 0 |
| 100–500 MW | 38 | 0 |
| Number of generators | at new plants | at existing plants |
|---|---|---|
| 1–5 MW | 400 | 9 |
| 5–10 MW | 22 | 0 |
| 10–100 MW | 72 | 0 |
| 100–500 MW | 40 | 0 |
| Average new plant or additional capacity at existing plants | at new plants | at existing plants |
|---|---|---|
| 1–5 MW | 3 | 2 |
| 5–10 MW | 9 | 0 |
| 10–100 MW | 60 | 0 |
| 100–500 MW | 191 | 0 |
| Plant size | total cost (billion $) |
|---|---|
| 1–5 MW | 2.9 |
| 5–10 MW | 0.4 |
| 10–100 MW | 6.4 |
| 100–500 MW | 10.1 |
| Census region | capacity-weighted average cost ($/kW) |
|---|---|
| Midwest | 1,562 |
| South | 1,161 |
| West | 1,527 |
| Northeast | 2,863 |
| Total included capacity | at new plants | at existing plants |
|---|---|---|
| Midwest | 5,176 | 135 |
| South | 4,864 | 3 |
| West | 2,608 | 107 |
| Northeast | 224 | 0 |
| Number of plants | at new plants | at existing plants |
|---|---|---|
| Midwest | 26 | 1 |
| South | 18 | 1 |
| West | 13 | 2 |
| Northeast | 5 | 0 |
| Number of generators | at new plants | at existing plants |
|---|---|---|
| Midwest | 26 | 1 |
| South | 18 | 1 |
| West | 15 | 2 |
| Northeast | 5 | 0 |
| Average new plant or additional capacity at existing plants | at new plants | at existing plants |
|---|---|---|
| Midwest | 199 | 135 |
| South | 270 | 3 |
| West | 201 | 54 |
| Northeast | 45 | 0 |
| Census region | total cost (billion $) |
|---|---|
| Midwest | 8.3 |
| South | 5.7 |
| West | 4.1 |
| Northeast | 0.6 |
| Plant size | capacity-weighted average cost ($/kW) |
|---|---|
| 1–25 MW | 2,708 |
| 25–100 MW | 1,887 |
| 100–200 MW | 1,464 |
| >200 MW | 1,382 |
| Total included capacity | at new plants | at existing plants |
|---|---|---|
| 1–25 MW | 45 | 3 |
| 25–100 MW | 491 | 107 |
| 100–200 MW | 2,727 | 135 |
| >200 MW | 9,608 | 0 |
| Number of plants | at new plants | at existing plants |
|---|---|---|
| 1–25 MW | 6 | 1 |
| 25–100 MW | 7 | 2 |
| 100–200 MW | 17 | 1 |
| >200 MW | 32 | 0 |
| Number of generators | at new plants | at existing plants |
|---|---|---|
| 1–25 MW | 6 | 1 |
| 25–100 MW | 8 | 2 |
| 100–200 MW | 17 | 1 |
| >200 MW | 33 | 0 |
| Average new plant or additional capacity at existing plants | at new plants | at existing plants |
|---|---|---|
| 1–25 MW | 7 | 3 |
| 25–100 MW | 70 | 54 |
| 100–200 MW | 160 | 135 |
| >200 MW | 300 | 0 |
| Plant size | total cost (billion $) |
|---|---|
| 1–25 MW | 0.1 |
| 25–100 MW | 1.1 |
| 100–200 MW | 4.2 |
| >200 MW | 13.3 |
| Class | capacity-weighted average cost ($/kW) |
|---|---|
| Class 1 | 1,526 |
| Class 2 | 1,417 |
| Class 3 | 1,425 |
| Total included capacity | at new plants | at existing plants |
|---|---|---|
| Class 1 | 914 | 107 |
| Class 2 | 8,372 | 3 |
| Class 3 | 3,586 | 135 |
| Number of plants | at new plants | at existing plants |
|---|---|---|
| Class 1 | 7 | 2 |
| Class 2 | 38 | 1 |
| Class 3 | 17 | 1 |
| Number of generators | at new plants | at existing plants |
|---|---|---|
| Class 1 | 7 | 2 |
| Class 2 | 40 | 1 |
| Class 3 | 17 | 1 |
| Average new plant or additional capacity at existing plants | at new plants | at existing plants |
|---|---|---|
| Class 1 | 131 | 54 |
| Class 2 | 220 | 3 |
| Class 3 | 211 | 135 |
| Plant size | total cost (billion $) |
|---|---|
| Class 1 | 1.6 |
| Class 2 | 11.9 |
| Class 3 | 5.3 |
Notes:
- Data includes facilities with a total generator nameplate capacity of 1 megawatt (MW) or more. Solar data does not include distributed generation capacity.
- Government grants, tax benefits, or other incentives are excluded from these costs.
- Solar photovoltaic (PV) data are based on reported alternating current (AC) capacity and may differ from other cost and capacity estimates that use direct current (DC) ratings of PV panels.
- Petroleum liquids includes distillate fuel oil, jet fuel, kerosene, residual fuel oil, and waste oil.
- Biomass includes both liquid and gaseous biomass fuels.
- Some generation technologies were excluded from this analysis to avoid disclosure of individual company data.
- Average construction cost is based on the nameplate capacity weighted average cost per kilowatt of installed nameplate capacity.
- Total capacity is the sum of the nameplate capacity of generators included in each group.
- Average new capacity is based on the nameplate capacity of new plants or new additions of nameplate capacity to existing plants. New plants did not previously have operable units and are typically recently constructed. Existing plants have at least one previously operable generator and are not newly constructed.
- Totals may not equal sum of components due to independent rounding.
Data source: U.S. Energy Information Administration, Form EIA-860, Annual Electric Generator Report