Power Plants in Alabama

Alabama's generating fleet holds 33,050 megawatts of nameplate capacity as of May 2026, ranking 14th among the 51 state fleets. Natural gas supplies 43.2% of that capacity across 24 plants, while coal provides 24.8% from 3 plants. Nuclear accounts for 17% with 2 plants, hydro delivers 10% from 23 plants, solar contributes 2.7% across 14 plants, and other sources make up the remaining 2.1%. The five largest plants are Browns Ferry, a nuclear facility with 3,854 megawatts; Barry, a coal plant with 3,344 megawatts; James H Miller Jr, a coal plant with 2,822 megawatts; E C Gaston, a coal plant with 2,034 megawatts; and H Allen Franklin Combined Cycle, a natural gas plant with 1,996 megawatts.

The state's generating plants span nearly a century of technology. The oldest still listed is Martin Dam, which first came online in January 1927. The newest is Walker Springs II, which entered service in May 2026. All figures represent nameplate capacity—what the equipment could produce running flat out—not actual generation, which varies widely with fuel type and operating patterns. Coal, nuclear, and hydro plants typically run near their capacity ratings year-round, while solar and some other sources operate at much lower average rates.