Palo Verde in
Arizona tops the list with an impressive
electricity generation of
31.94 terawatt hours. This number signifies its vital role in
energy production, surpassing the second-highest generator, Browns Ferry in
Alabama, by more than
2.61 terawatt hours.
Nuclear Power Dominates the Top Spots
Nuclear energy plants, including Palo Verde, Browns Ferry, and Peach Bottom, dominate the list of top electricity producers. Together, these three plants have generated a total of
83.45 terawatt hours, highlighting nuclear power's significant contribution to the U.S.
electricity supply.
Alabama hosts two of the leading
power plants: Browns Ferry and James H. Miller Jr., with a combined electricity generation of
50.4 terawatt hours. This places Alabama as a key state in terms of high-capacity power generation facilities.
Consistent Production Above 20 Terawatt Hours
Eight of the top ten power plants each produced over
20 terawatt hours of electricity. This consistency underscores the substantial and steady contribution of these plants to the national
grid, ensuring a reliable energy supply.
Peach Bottom and Susquehanna Showcase Pennsylvania's Capacity
Pennsylvania's Peach Bottom and Telen Energy Susquehanna power plants together account for
42.25 terawatt hours of electricity generation. This highlights the state's pivotal role in supporting the electricity demands of the region.
Grand Coulee in
Washington, generating
21.18 terawatt hours, is the only plant on the list that is not nuclear or fossil-fueled. This underscores the potential and current limitations of
renewable energy sources in matching the output of traditional and nuclear energy plants at the top of the production scale.
Narrow Margins Between Competing Plants
The electricity generation gap between the top producer, Palo Verde, and the tenth, Telen Energy Susquehanna, is only
11.87 terawatt hours. Such narrow margins indicate a competitive field among the leading power plants in the U.S.