Electricity generation from fossil fuels in United States
United States: Electricity generation from fossil fuels was 2,576 terawatt-hours in 2025. ▲ Rising
Electricity generation from fossil fuels in United States, 1985–2025
Source: Ember (2026) and other sources – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in terawatt-hours.
Analysis
The most recent figure for electricity generation from fossil fuels in United States is 2,576 terawatt-hours, measured in 2025.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 0.9% on the previous year and down 5.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, electricity generation from fossil fuels in United States peaked at 2,988 terawatt-hours in 2007 and was at its lowest, 1,904 terawatt-hours, in 1986.
United States ranks 2nd of 209 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 41 years of available data.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 2,037 terawatt-hours | 1,904 terawatt-hours | 2,267 terawatt-hours | 5 |
| 1990s | 2,477 terawatt-hours | 2,262 terawatt-hours | 2,763 terawatt-hours | 10 |
| 2000s | 2,809 terawatt-hours | 2,679 terawatt-hours | 2,988 terawatt-hours | 10 |
| 2010s | 2,713 terawatt-hours | 2,540 terawatt-hours | 2,882 terawatt-hours | 10 |
| 2020s | 2,524 terawatt-hours | 2,432 terawatt-hours | 2,576 terawatt-hours | 6 |
Countries ranked near United States
- 1 China 6,175 terawatt-hours compare
- 1 Ireland 16.05 terawatt-hours compare
- 2 Malta 1.84 terawatt-hours compare
- 3 India 1,527 terawatt-hours compare
- 3 Martinique 1.12 terawatt-hours compare
- 4 Guadeloupe 1.08 terawatt-hours compare
- 4 Russia 767.16 terawatt-hours compare
- 5 Japan 693.04 terawatt-hours compare
- 5 Luxembourg 0.13 terawatt-hours compare
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 45.61 (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is electricity generation from fossil fuels in United States?
- Electricity generation from fossil fuels in United States was 2,576 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 fossil fuels recorded in United States?
- The highest recorded value was 2,988 terawatt-hours in 2007.
- What is the lowest electricity generation from fossil fuels recorded in United States?
- The lowest recorded value was 1,904 terawatt-hours in 1986.
- How does United States rank for electricity generation from fossil fuels?
- United States ranks 2nd out of 209 countries with data for 2025.
- Is electricity generation from fossil fuels rising or falling in United States?
- Over the last ten years it is down 5.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- 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 fossil fuels. 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
Electricity generation from coal, oil, and gas, measured in terawatt-hours.