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ElectricityThe U.S. Power Grid and Its Upgrade
Twenty flashcards on how much electricity the U.S. makes, where it comes from, how the grid carries it and the federal programs upgrading it.
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20 cards
- How much electricity did U.S. utility-scale plants generate in 2025?
- About 4.43 trillion kilowatthours.
- What was the top source of U.S. utility-scale electricity in 2025?
- Natural gas, with about 41%.
- What share did nuclear energy provide in 2025, and what rank?
- About 18%, the second-highest U.S. electricity source.
- How much of U.S. utility-scale electricity came from renewables in 2025, compared with 1990?
- About 24% in 2025, up from about 12% in 1990.
- What share did wind provide in 2025?
- About 11% of all U.S. utility-scale electricity and 43% of the renewable part.
- What share did solar provide in 2025?
- About 7% of U.S. utility-scale electricity and 28% of the renewable part, nearly all from photovoltaics.
- Where did coal rank in U.S. electricity generation in 2025?
- Third, with about 17%.
- What is the mission of DOE's Office of Electricity?
- To stabilize, optimize and grow the electricity system so the grid delivers affordable, reliable and secure energy.
- How much utility-scale generating capacity did the U.S. have at the end of 2025?
- 1,280,799 MW, or about 1.28 billion kW.
- Which source had the largest share of U.S. generating capacity in 2025?
- Natural gas, with 40.0%.
- How much electricity did U.S. retail customers buy in 2025, and who bought it?
- About 4.1 trillion kWh: residential 37%, commercial 37% and industrial 26%.
- What makes up the U.S. electricity grid?
- Thousands of miles of high-voltage power lines and millions of miles of low-voltage lines linking power plants to customers.
- Why is electricity sent over long distances at high voltage?
- Higher voltage makes long-distance transmission more efficient and less expensive.
- What do transformers at substations do?
- They step voltage up or down for each stage, from long-distance lines to the distribution lines that reach homes and businesses.
- What are the three main grid interconnections of the Lower 48 states?
- The Eastern Interconnection, the Western Interconnection and ERCOT, which covers most of Texas.
- How many isolated electric utilities operated in the U.S. at the start of the 20th century?
- More than 4,000.
- Who develops and enforces mandatory U.S. grid reliability standards?
- The North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC), with standards approved by FERC.
- What does the smart grid add to the traditional grid?
- Digital tools that let utilities and customers exchange information, so problems are found and fixed faster.
- How big is DOE's Grid Resilience and Innovation Partnerships (GRIP) Program?
- $10.5 billion, run by the Office of Electricity to make the grid more flexible and resilient.
- What did DOE announce on March 12, 2026, to speed up grid upgrades?
- Nearly $2 billion for SPARK, which funds reconductoring and other advanced transmission upgrades with fast timelines.
Official sources
U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA)
Electricity explained: Electricity in the United States
U.S. Department of Energy (DOE)
Office of Electricity (energy.gov/gdo)
U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA)
Electricity explained: Electricity generation, capacity, and sales in the United States
U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA)
Electricity explained: How electricity is delivered to consumers
U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), Office of Electricity
Grid Resilience and Innovation Partnerships (GRIP) Program
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