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Kentucky   Kentucky Profile

State Profile and Energy Estimates

Changes to the State Energy Data System (SEDS) Notice: In October 2023, we updated the way we calculate primary energy consumption of electricity generation from noncombustible renewable energy sources (solar, wind, hydroelectric, and geothermal). Visit our Changes to 1960—2022 conversion factor for renewable energy page to learn more.

Profile Overview

Quick Facts

  • Kentucky is the fifth-largest coal-producing state in the nation. About one out of five U.S. operating coal mines are located in Kentucky, more than any other state except West Virginia and Pennsylvania.
  • Natural gas-fired power plants generated 25% of Kentucky's in-state electricity in 2022, more than double the share from five years earlier.
  • In 2022, about 68% of Kentucky's utility-scale electricity net generation was coal-fired, the third-largest share of any state after West Virginia and Wyoming.
  • Kentucky has 22 underground natural gas storage sites that can hold almost 222 billion cubic feet of gas, which is about 2% of U.S. total underground storage capacity.
  • In 2022, Kentucky had the 18th-lowest average electricity price of any state and the third-lowest price for a state east of the Mississippi River. Slightly more than half of Kentucky households use electricity for their heating.

Last Updated: September 21, 2023

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