Capacity of US Coal-Fired Power Plants to Fall Over 15 Percent by 2028

Stringent emission regulations and alternative sources have reduced the use of the fossil fuel amid numerous planned facility shutdowns.

An employee walks toward the U.S. Steel Clairton Works in Clairton, Pa., on March 11, 2018. Drew Angerer/Getty Images

The total operating capacity of coal-fired power plants in the United States is set to drop to 145 gigawatts (GW) by the end of 2028, a more than 15 percent decline from the 172 GW in operation as of May, the Energy Information Administration (EIA) said in a July 14 statement.

The Midwest region has 10 coal plants scheduled to retire by 2028. This was followed by the Mid-Atlantic with five plants, Tennessee with four, and the Northwest with three sites. “On a regional basis, 58 percent of the planned coal capacity retirements are in the Midwest and Mid-Atlantic regions,” EIA said.