Electricity generation from coal in United States
United States: Electricity generation from coal was 737.15 terawatt-hours in 2025. ▼ Falling
Electricity generation from coal in United States, 1985–2025
Source: Ember (2026) and other sources – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in terawatt-hours.
Analysis
In 2025, electricity generation from coal in United States stood at 737.15 terawatt-hours.
The figure is up 13.0% on the previous year and down 45.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, electricity generation from coal in United States peaked at 2,038 terawatt-hours in 1999 and was at its lowest, 652.16 terawatt-hours, in 2024.
United States ranks 3rd of 207 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 41 years of available data.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 1,588 terawatt-hours | 1,490 terawatt-hours | 1,711 terawatt-hours | 5 |
| 1990s | 1,873 terawatt-hours | 1,723 terawatt-hours | 2,038 terawatt-hours | 10 |
| 2000s | 1,952 terawatt-hours | 1,756 terawatt-hours | 2,016 terawatt-hours | 10 |
| 2010s | 1,417 terawatt-hours | 964.96 terawatt-hours | 1,847 terawatt-hours | 10 |
| 2020s | 761.22 terawatt-hours | 652.16 terawatt-hours | 898 terawatt-hours | 6 |
Countries ranked near United States
More energy & mining data for United States
- Fuel imports 7.5% (2024)
- Ores and metals imports 2.1% (2024)
- Ores and metals exports 2.9% (2024)
- Gas production 10,737 terawatt-hours (2025)
- Fossil fuel production per person, by fuel 30,919 kilowatt-hours per person (2025)
- Fossil fuel production by fuel 10,737 terawatt-hours (2025)
- Gas production per person 30,919 kilowatt-hours per person (2025)
- Fuel exports 18.3% (2024)
- Electric power transmission and distribution losses 5.3% (2024)
- Share of dietary energy supply from carbohydrates vs. GDP per capita 45.6% (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is electricity generation from coal in United States?
- Electricity generation from coal in United States was 737.15 terawatt-hours in 2025, according to Ember (2026) and other sources – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest electricity generation from coal recorded in United States?
- The highest recorded value was 2,038 terawatt-hours in 1999.
- What is the lowest electricity generation from coal recorded in United States?
- The lowest recorded value was 652.16 terawatt-hours in 2024.
- How does United States rank for electricity generation from coal?
- United States ranks 3rd out of 207 countries with data for 2025.
- Is electricity generation from coal rising or falling in United States?
- Over the last ten years it is down 45.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this United States data come from?
- The figures come from Ember (2026) and other sources – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Electricity generation from coal. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 41 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Measured in terawatt-hours.