Coal power stations in the U.S. 2024 by state
Pennsylvania is home to the greatest number of coal power stations in the United States. As of July 2024, the Northeast state had 15 operational coal-fired power plants. This was two and three stations more than Texas and Indiana, which respectively ranked second that year.
How is coal used in the U.S?
Coal is a combustible fuel and a primary energy source used to produce electricity and heat in the U.S. However, since 2008, coal-fired electricity generation in the U.S. has experienced a downward trend. The electric power sector accounts for the greatest consumption of coal in the U.S. Although the fossil fuel has historically played a larger role in the industrial sector, today its role therein has slowly diminished. Its primary function outside of energy production is in iron manufacturing via coking coal.
The future of coal power plants in the U.S.
Generally, U.S. power production from fossil fuels is expected to decrease in the following years. Projections of coal power generation in the U.S. say that it will experience a significant decline by 2050. It is estimated that only 243 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity will be produced by then compared to the 832 billion kilowatt-hours generated in 2022. That represents a decrease of nearly 70 percent.
