Electric Power Annual 2000, Volume I


The electric power sector underwent considerable restructuring during 2000, a year marked by divestiture of generating assets by some utilities, their purchase by others, and consolidation through mergers and acquisitions. However, the California restructuring experience -- rolling blackouts, high prices, and the threat of utility bankruptcies -- offered a sobering lesson for other States, and only Michigan and West Virginia passed restructuring laws in 2000. The total of States with such laws stood at 23 (plus the District of Columbia) at the end of the year.

As described by the data in the Energy Information Administration's Electric Power Annual 2000, Volume I, the year was an eventful one for the industry in other dimensions as well:

Generating Capability

According to preliminary estimates, end-of-year net summer generating capability rose 3 percent, from 787,902 megawatts in 1999 to 811,625 megawatts in 2000. Capability changes within Census Divisions varied widely, however; the South Atlantic Census Division alone accounted for 6,838 new megawatts, 29 percent of all new capacity, while the Pacific Contiguous Census Division (California, Oregon, and Washington) netted an increase of only 97 megawatts. Since 1990, California and Oregon (along with five other States) have actually posted decreases in capability.

Increases in retail sales of electricity outstripped growth in capability from 1990 through 2000, and the average generating plant capacity factor has increased to keep pace, from 49 percent in 1990 to 55 percent in 2000. The average nuclear power plant capacity factor rose from 66 percent in 1990 to 88 percent in 2000, while the average coal-fired plant capacity factor rose from 59 percent to 71 percent.

Electric utilities' sales of generating plants to nonutilities during 2000 reapportioned total capability between the two groups (see table). Roughly 48,000 megawatts of capability was sold or transferred, somewhat less than during 1999.

U.S. Electric Power Summary, 1999 and 2000
 

Utility

Nonutility

1999

2000

1999

2000
Capability (megawatts)

639,324 

602,377 

148,578 

209,248 

Net Generation (billion kWh)

3,174 

3,015 

531 

785 

 Utility/Nonutility Shares (percent)

85.7 

79.4 

14.3 

20.6 

 From Coal

93.8 

86.2 

6.2 

13.8 

 From Petroleum

70.4 

66.3 

29.6 

33.7 

 From Natural Gas1

52.0 

47.5 

48.0 

52.5 

 From Nuclear Electric Power

99.6 

93.6 

0.4 

6.4 

 From Hydroelectric Power

93.8 

90.9 

6.2 

9.1 

 From Other

4.4 

2.7 

95.6 

97.3 

Fossil Fuel Consumption

 

 Coal (million short tons)

894 

859 

58 

132 

 Petroleum (million barrels)

144 

120 

52 

53 

 Petroleum Coke (million short tons)

1.6 

1.1 

2.9 

3.0 

 Natural Gas1 (billion cubic feet)

3,113 

3,043 

2,636 

3,287 

End of Year Stocks

 

 Coal (million short tons)

128 

90 

14 

13 

 Petroleum Liquids (million barrels)

44 

30 

9 

11 

1Natural gas includes other gases and waste heat.
Notes: Data for 1999 are final. Some 2000 data are preliminary. kWh = kilowatthours.

Source: Energy Information Administration.

Generation

Total electricity net generation increased 2.6 percent to 3,800 billion kilowatthours in 2000, due to economic growth, weather-related increases in sales to residences, and other factors. Coal accounted for 52 percent of total generation, nuclear power 20 percent, natural gas (including other gases and waste heat) 16 percent, and petroleum 3 percent. Lower precipitation in the South and West limited hydroelectric generation to 7 percent of the total. Coal-fired generation reached a record 1,968 billion kilowatthours, urged upwards by the high costs of competing fossil fuels and by reduced hydroelectric generation. These factors outweighed the restraining effects of record nuclear generation and mild weather.

Sales and Revenue

Retail electricity sales rose in all sectors in 2000 and the nationwide total reached 3,413 billion kilowatthours, up 3 percent over 1999 sales. The residential sector accounted for the largest volume and percentage increases. Average residential-sector revenues per kilowatthour in the continental United States ranged from a high of 14.1 cents in New York to a low of 5.2 cents in Washington State.


Electric Power Annual 2000, Volume I, (DOE-EIA-0348(2000)/1); 74 pages, 34 tables, 13 figures.

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File last modified: September 25, 2001