Electricity generation in United States
United States: Electricity generation was 4,520 terawatt-hours in 2025. ▲ Rising
Latest (2025)
4,520 terawatt-hours
Change on year
up 2.9%
World rank
2nd
of 214 countries
All-time high
4,520 terawatt-hours
in 2025
All-time low
2,657 terawatt-hours
in 1985
Years of data
41
1985–2025
Electricity generation 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 in United States stood at 4,520 terawatt-hours. That is the highest value across all 41 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 2.9% on the previous year and up 10.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, electricity generation in United States peaked at 4,520 terawatt-hours in 2025 and was at its lowest, 2,657 terawatt-hours, in 1985.
United States ranks 2nd of 214 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 41 years of available data.
Electricity generation in United States, year by year
| Year | terawatt-hours | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1985 | 2,657 terawatt-hours | — |
| 1986 | 2,676 terawatt-hours | +0.7% |
| 1987 | 2,772 terawatt-hours | +3.6% |
| 1988 | 2,914 terawatt-hours | +5.1% |
| 1989 | 3,155 terawatt-hours | +8.3% |
| 1990 | 3,233 terawatt-hours | +2.5% |
| 1991 | 3,271 terawatt-hours | +1.2% |
| 1992 | 3,284 terawatt-hours | +0.4% |
| 1993 | 3,405 terawatt-hours | +3.7% |
| 1994 | 3,459 terawatt-hours | +1.6% |
| 1995 | 3,567 terawatt-hours | +3.1% |
| 1996 | 3,663 terawatt-hours | +2.7% |
| 1997 | 3,716 terawatt-hours | +1.4% |
| 1998 | 3,856 terawatt-hours | +3.8% |
| 1999 | 3,936 terawatt-hours | +2.1% |
| 2000 | 3,802 terawatt-hours | -3.4% |
| 2001 | 3,728 terawatt-hours | -2.0% |
| 2002 | 3,844 terawatt-hours | +3.1% |
| 2003 | 3,869 terawatt-hours | +0.6% |
| 2004 | 3,952 terawatt-hours | +2.1% |
| 2005 | 4,035 terawatt-hours | +2.1% |
| 2006 | 4,047 terawatt-hours | +0.3% |
| 2007 | 4,143 terawatt-hours | +2.4% |
| 2008 | 4,108 terawatt-hours | -0.8% |
| 2009 | 3,940 terawatt-hours | -4.1% |
| 2010 | 4,114 terawatt-hours | +4.4% |
| 2011 | 4,089 terawatt-hours | -0.6% |
| 2012 | 4,041 terawatt-hours | -1.2% |
| 2013 | 4,056 terawatt-hours | +0.4% |
| 2014 | 4,096 terawatt-hours | +1.0% |
| 2015 | 4,084 terawatt-hours | -0.3% |
| 2016 | 4,088 terawatt-hours | +0.1% |
| 2017 | 4,052 terawatt-hours | -0.9% |
| 2018 | 4,202 terawatt-hours | +3.7% |
| 2019 | 4,158 terawatt-hours | -1.0% |
| 2020 | 4,043 terawatt-hours | -2.8% |
| 2021 | 4,154 terawatt-hours | +2.7% |
| 2022 | 4,287 terawatt-hours | +3.2% |
| 2023 | 4,254 terawatt-hours | -0.8% |
| 2024 | 4,391 terawatt-hours | +3.2% |
| 2025 | 4,520 terawatt-hours | +2.9% |
United States compared with similar countries
- United States's 4,520 terawatt-hours is above the median for high income countries, which is 30.95 terawatt-hours, 146.0× the median. (75 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 2,835 terawatt-hours | 2,657 terawatt-hours | 3,155 terawatt-hours | 5 |
| 1990s | 3,539 terawatt-hours | 3,233 terawatt-hours | 3,936 terawatt-hours | 10 |
| 2000s | 3,947 terawatt-hours | 3,728 terawatt-hours | 4,143 terawatt-hours | 10 |
| 2010s | 4,098 terawatt-hours | 4,041 terawatt-hours | 4,202 terawatt-hours | 10 |
| 2020s | 4,275 terawatt-hours | 4,043 terawatt-hours | 4,520 terawatt-hours | 6 |
Countries ranked near United States
More energy & mining data for United States
- Fossil fuel consumption by fuel, per unit of GDP 0 terawatt-hours per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Primary energy use, annual growth rate 1.94 % change on previous year (2025)
- Coal consumption, per capita 0 terawatt-hours per person (2025)
- Coal consumption, per unit of GDP 0 terawatt-hours per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Primary energy use, per unit of GDP 0 terawatt-hours per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Primary energy use, per capita 0.0001 terawatt-hours per person (2025)
- Coal production, per capita 0 terawatt-hours per person (2025)
- Coal production, per unit of GDP 0 terawatt-hours per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Fossil fuel consumption by fuel, per capita 0 terawatt-hours per person (2025)
- Fuel imports 7.5% (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is electricity generation in United States?
- Electricity generation in United States was 4,520 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 recorded in United States?
- The highest recorded value was 4,520 terawatt-hours in 2025.
- What is the lowest electricity generation recorded in United States?
- The lowest recorded value was 2,657 terawatt-hours in 1985.
- How does United States rank for electricity generation?
- United States ranks 2nd out of 214 countries with data for 2025.
- Is electricity generation rising or falling in United States?
- Over the last ten years it is up 10.7%. 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. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Total electricity generated in each country or region, measured in terawatt-hours.