Where Alabama Gets Its Electricity
Net generation by source · 12-month average, July 2025 – June 2026.
Generation mix
| Source | Share | Generation |
|---|---|---|
| Natural gas | 44.9% | 64,076 GWh |
| Coal | 14.6% | 20,847 GWh |
| Nuclear | 32.3% | 46,076 GWh |
| Wind | 0.0% | 0 GWh |
| Solar | 1.1% | 1,540 GWh |
| Hydro | 4.9% | 7,056 GWh |
| Other | 2.3% | 3,251 GWh |
142.8 TWh generated over the 12 months to June 2026. Shares are of net generation within Alabama, which is not the same as what the state consumes — power crosses state lines.
How the mix has shifted since 2001
| Source | 2001 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Natural gas | 7.7% | 45.6% | +38.0 pts |
| Coal | 57.6% | 15.3% | −42.3 pts |
| Nuclear | 24.2% | 30.0% | +5.8 pts |
| Wind | 0.0% | 0.0% | — |
| Solar | 0.0% | 0.9% | +0.9 pts |
| Hydro | 6.7% | 5.8% | −0.8 pts |
| Other | 3.8% | 2.3% | −1.5 pts |
Compared with the U.S. and nearby states
| Where | Renewable | Carbon-free | Largest source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | 8.3% | 40.5% | Natural gas 44.9% |
| U.S. average | 25.2% | 42.9% | Natural gas 40.7% |
| Tennessee | 12.5% | 58.6% | Nuclear |
| Georgia | 12.5% | 47.0% | Natural gas |
| Florida | 11.0% | 21.4% | Natural gas |
| Mississippi | 6.7% | 19.8% | Natural gas |
Alabama's generation mix in context
Natural gas supplied 44.9% of Alabama's electricity generation in the year ending May 2026, making it the largest source. Nuclear power accounted for 31.9%, while coal generated 14.8%. Together, nuclear and the renewable sources—which made up 8.4% of the total—provided 40.3% of generation on a carbon-free basis. Solar contributed 1% of utility-scale generation alone, ranking 44th among the 51 states and DC with generation data.
Alabama's renewable share of 8.4% was 16.5 percentage points below the national average of 24.9%, placing the state 42nd nationally. All three of its bordering states with generation data—Georgia, Tennessee, and Florida—generated a higher share of renewables than Alabama did; only Mississippi held a lower share. Nationally, natural gas likewise led, but at 40.8%, and solar's contribution was larger at 7.2%.
The electricity mix has shifted sharply since 2001. Coal fell from 57.6% in 2001 to 15.3% in 2025, while natural gas rose from 7.7% to 45.6%. Nuclear generation grew from 24.2% to 30% over the same span. Renewable generation declined slightly, from 10% in 2001 to 9.1% in 2025, as hydro fell and solar emerged to contribute 0.9% of the total by 2025.
Written from the EIA figures on this page, covering data through May 2026.
Frequently asked questions
›What percentage of Alabama's electricity comes from renewable energy?
›What percentage of Alabama's power comes from solar?
›Where does Alabama get most of its electricity?
›Does Alabama still burn coal for electricity?
›Is Alabama getting greener?
How this is measured
Figures are net generation reported to the U.S. Energy Information Administration for all sectors — utilities, independent power producers, and industrial and commercial plants that generate their own power. Shares are of the 12 months to June 2026, rather than a single month, because generation is strongly seasonal: solar peaks in summer and hydro with the spring melt, so one month says more about the weather than about the grid.
“Other” is the reported total minus the six named sources, so the shares add to exactly 100%. It holds geothermal, biomass, petroleum, other gases, and pumped storage — the last of which consumes more electricity than it returns, and so can be negative. Geothermal and biomass are renewable, which is why the renewable share above is slightly larger than wind, solar and hydro added together.
This is generation, not consumption. Electricity crosses state lines freely, so a state can generate more than it uses or rely on imports for a large part of its supply; neither shows up here.