The Electric Power Dashboard is an interactive dashboard for organizations, state agencies, research institutes, and policy makers seeking to understand states’ electric power and renewable energy assets. The map shows all electric power plants (both operating and planned) with capacity equal to or more than 0.1 megawatts (MW), based on data submitted to the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA, July 2024). Capacity is based on nameplate capacity (MW) and is not the same as energy generated (MWh). The dashboard provides information about states’ overall electric power portfolio, including renewable projects, nuclear and fossil fuel power plants and other electric power sources.
The dashboard can be used to:
- Understand states’ electric power portfolio to track progress towards clean energy goals.
- Identify areas where renewable energy power plants are operational or proposed and where opportunities for better investment exist.
- Understand the status of electric power plants, including when they will be retired or operational.
- Estimate the workforce needed for planned renewable energy investments.
- Estimate the workforce impacts of planned plant closures.
How to Use the Dashboard
- Select a state. Select a state to feature on the top center of the dashboard screen. The map will zoom into that state. All the data on the screen will pertain to the selected state. Zoom in using your mouse or the + and – boxes in the lower right corner of the map.
- Select a county. Users can also select counties of interest on the top right corner next to the state selector on the dashboard screen. The map will zoom into the selected county within the respective state. All data on the screen (except for the state electric power portfolio and pie charts) will be updated to reflect the selected county.
- Select which power plants to view. The default map view shows the planned and operational wind and solar power plants. To see other electric power plants, click on the “layers” icon (upper right corner of the map). Click on the “eye” icon next to each layer to toggle the layer on or off. There are 19 possible layers.
- Learn about the layers. Click on the “legend” icon (bullet list) to view the legend for the various layers that are currently active on the map.
- View power plant features. To learn more about a specific electric power plant, click on a colored dot on the map. A pop-up will display details about the plant, including company name, status, nameplate capacity, operating year, planned retirement year, and more.
- Reset the map. The “home” icon resets the map area to the original view (the starting view before any state or county selection). Note that it only changes the map view; all other statistics are based on the selected state and county. To reset everything, click the “Reset” option in the “State” selector.
Layer Descriptions and Source
Dashboard data comes from the U.S. Energy Information Administration’s (EIA) preliminary monthly electric generator inventory, based on EIA Form 860-M.
The map displays the following layers (which can be toggled on and off):
- Proposed Solar Projects: This layer displays proposed solar photovoltaic and solar thermal projects.
- Operating Solar Projects: This layer displays operating solar photovoltaic and solar thermal projects.
- Proposed Wind Projects: This layer displays both offshore and onshore proposed wind power plants.
- Operating Wind Projects: This layer displays both offshore and onshore operating wind power plants.
- Proposed Geothermal Projects: This layer displays proposed geothermal power plants.
- Operating Geothermal Projects: This layer displays operating geothermal power plants.
- Proposed Biomass Projects: This layer displays proposed biomass power plants.
- Operating Biomass Projects: This layer displays operating biomass power plants.
- Proposed Hydropower Projects: This layer displays proposed hydropower power plants.
- Operating Hydropower Projects: This layer displays operating hydropower power plants.
- Operating Nuclear Projects: This layer displays operating nuclear power plants.
- Proposed Other Renewable Energy Projects: This layer displays proposed renewable energy projects not covered by other layers, primarily consisting of battery storage projects.
- Operating other Renewable Energy Projects: This layer displays operating renewable energy projects not covered by other layers, mainly consisting of battery storage projects.
- Operating Coal Powered Projects: This layer displays operating coal power plants.
- Proposed Natural Gas-Powered Projects: This layer displays proposed natural gas power plants.
- Operating Natural Gas-Powered Projects: This layer displays operating natural gas power plants.
- Proposed other Non-Renewable Energy Projects: This layer displays other proposed non-renewable energy projects, primarily those that use petroleum products.
- Operating other Non-Renewable Energy Projects: This layer displays other operating non-renewable energy projects, primarily those that use petroleum products.
- US County: This layer provides boundaries of all U.S. counties, based on 2023 Census data.
Key Terms
When you click on a specific power plant, a pop-up appears with various terms and abbreviations. Here’s a quick guide to the key terms and abbreviations in the pop-up panels.
Sectors
Power plants are classified by sector. Sector classification is based on primary purpose of the power plant (commercial, industrial, etc.), regulatory status, and combined heat and power CHP capability. Sector categories include the following:
- Electric utility: Large projects regulated by public utility companies.
- Combined Heat and Power (CHP): The simultaneous production of electricity, heating, and cooling.
- Commercial: Plants that produce electricity specifically for commercial activities.
- Industrial: Plants that generate energy for industrial purposes, serving facilities and equipment used in manufacturing, mining, construction, and agriculture.
- Independent Power Producer (IPP): Non-utility, private plants.
Status
Power plants’ operating status is listed in the pop-up panel. Status option codes include:
- OP: Operating
- OA: Out of service but expected to return to service in the next calendar year
- SB: Standby/Backup–available for service but not normally used
- V: Under construction and more than 50% complete
- U: Under construction, and less than or equal to 50% complete
- TS: Construction complete, but not yet in commercial operation
- T: Regulatory approvals received, but not under construction yet
- P: Planned for installation, but regulatory approvals have not been initiated
- L: Regulatory approvals are pending, and not under construction
Balancing Authority
Pop-up panels list the balancing authority for power plants. The balancing authority is the entity responsible for managing the electric system within a specified geographic area. One of the tasks of the balancing authority is to ensure that the power supply and demand is balanced. There are over 60 balancing authorities in the United States. Balancing authorities typically fall into the following categories:
- Regional Transmission Authorities (RTOs)
- Independent System Operators (ISOs)
- Power Marketing Administrations (PMAs)
- Utility companies: Serve as balancing authorities in areas where there are no RTOs or ISOs.
Contact us
This map was developed by the Climate Jobs Institute at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. The map was last updated on October 30, 2024.
Questions about the map may be directed to climate-jobs@illinois.edu.
