In 1999 the existing capacity¹of U.S. electric utilities totaled 639,324 megawatts (Table 1), a net change of -47,368 megawatts (-6.9 percent) from the total reported in 1998. This was mainly due to the sale/transfer of 50,884 megawatts of capacity during 1999 to nonutilities. Based on primary energy source, coal-fired capacity represented 43 percent (277,780 megawatts) of the Nation's existing capacity (Figure 1). Gas-fired capacity accounted for 19 percent (118,472 megawatts); nuclear, 15 percent (95,030 megawatts); renewable energy sources,²12 percent (74,912 megawatts); petroleum, 8 percent (49,153 megawatts); and pumped storage hydroelectric, 3 percent (18,945 megawatts). The distribution of capacity by State for the various energy sources is shown in Figures 3 through 7. Figure 8 shows the distribution of total U.S. capacity by State.

Of the existing capacity, conventional steam-electric units accounted for 60 percent (382,270 megawatts). Nuclear units accounted for 15 percent; hydroelectric (conventional), 12 percent; gas turbine, 8 percent; pumped storage hydroelectric, 3 percent; combined cycle, 2 percent; internal combustion, geothermal, solar, and wind, 1 percent (Figure 2). Figure 9 shows the existing capacity by prime mover and time interval of initial commercial operation.

Of the 382,270 megawatts of conventional steam-electric capacity, 67,027 megawatts were in dual-fired generators, capable of using petroleum and gas; 36,502 megawatts of the 68,634 megawatts combined capacity for gas turbine, combined cycle and internal combustion units were dual-fired.

In 1999, 3,689 megawatts in new units started commercial operation --- nearly 3,000 megawatts more than the capacity in new units that started commercial operation in 1998 (Table 2). Eighty-eight percent of this new capacity is in gas-fired combustion turbine and combined cycle units. The remaining 12 percent of new capacity is in petroleum-fired combustion turbine and internal combustion units, one coal-fired unit and several solar, wind and hydroelectric units (Table 18). Electric utility capacity additions by energy source for the past 10 years are shown in Figures 10 and 11.

Electric utilities reported 427 megawatts of capacity retired in 1999 (Table 2). Sixty-six percent of the retired capacity is coal-fired and gas-fired steam-electric units. Petroleum-fired steam-electric and internal combustion units account for 20 percent of the capacity retired in 1999 and the remaining 14 percent is in hydroelectric, solar and biomass steam-electric units. Detail data about electric generating units retired from service in 1999 are in Table 19.

During 1999 over 50,000 megawatts of electric utilities' generating assets were sold to nonutilities or transferred to nonregulated affiliates. For the first time in the electric power industry's restructuring for competition, nuclear generation assets were a part of electric utilities' power plant divestitures in 1999. The nuclear plants sold are the 665-megawatt Pilgrim plant (Massachusetts), the 930-megawatt Clinton plant (Illinois) and the 786-megawatt Three Mile Island, unit 1 (Pennsylvania). During the first 5 months of 2000, an additional 8,000 megawatts (generator nameplate capacity) of electric utility generating assets were sold to nonutilities or transferred to nonregulated affiliates.

Five-Year Summary

For the 2000 through 2004 forecast period, electric utilities reported plans to add 38,051 megawatts of generating capacity in new units to their systems. Ninety-three percent of this total is gas-fired capacity.

In addition to adding new generators to their capacity, electric utilities reported several types of proposed changes in existing generating units for the 5-year period. They reported 126 electric generating units (28,124 megawatts) proposed to be involved in either a fuel change, a rerating in capability, a repowering or life extension or a combination of these. Also, plans to retire 2,070 megawatts of capacity during the 5-year period, 2000-2004, were reported.

Endnotes

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