Power plants in Alabama
Alabama has 78 power plants of 1 MW or more in the 2025 EIA-860 data, with 32.9 GW of nameplate capacity, the 14th-largest total among the 50 states and DC. Natural gas accounts for 53% of that capacity. The biggest single site is Browns Ferry at 3,854 MW. Units that came online from 2020 to 2025 add 2,749 MW, led by natural gas at 81%. Units retired since 2016 at plants still operating total 1,944 MW, most of it coal.
- Natural gas17,505 MW53%
- Nuclear5,630 MW17%
- Coal4,966 MW15%
- Hydroelectric3,318 MW10%
- Solar746 MW2.3%
- Biomass and waste675 MW2.1%
- Oil and petroleum47.8 MW0.1%
- Battery storage1 MW0.0%
What is running, by the decade it came online
NuclearCoalNatural gasOil and petroleumHydroelectricSolarBattery storageBiomass and waste
Columns above the line show capacity still operating in 2025, stacked by fuel. Below the line: capacity retired in each decade at plants that still operate.
The 25 largest plants
| Rank | Plant | Runs on | Capacity | First unit | Operator |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Browns Ferry | Nuclear | 3,854 MW | 1974 | Tennessee Valley Authority |
| 2 | Barry | Natural gas | 3,344 MW | 1954 | Alabama Power Co |
| 3 | James H Miller Jr | Coal | 2,822 MW | 1978 | Alabama Power Co |
| 4 | E C Gaston | Natural gas | 2,034 MW | 1960 | Alabama Power Co |
| 5 | H Allen Franklin Combined Cycle | Natural gas | 1,996 MW | 2002 | Southern Power Co |
| 6 | Joseph M Farley | Nuclear | 1,776 MW | 1977 | Alabama Power Co |
| 7 | E B Harris Electric Generating Plant | Natural gas | 1,304 MW | 2003 | Southern Power Co |
| 8 | Greene County | Natural gas | 1,288 MW | 1965 | Alabama Power Co |
| 9 | Colbert | Natural gas | 1,170 MW | 1972 | Tennessee Valley Authority |
| 10 | Tenaska Lindsay Hill Generating Station | Natural gas | 939 MW | 2002 | Alabama Power Co |
| 11 | Central Alabama Generating Station | Natural gas | 927 MW | 2003 | Alabama Power Co |
| 12 | Decatur Energy Center | Natural gas | 902 MW | 2002 | Decatur Energy Center LLC |
| 13 | Morgan Energy Center | Natural gas | 900 MW | 2003 | Morgan Energy Center LLC |
| 14 | Hillabee Energy Center | Natural gas | 823 MW | 2010 | CER Generation LLC |
| 15 | Calhoun Energy Center | Natural gas | 748 MW | 2003 | Alabama Power Co |
| 16 | Lowman Energy Center | Natural gas | 733 MW | 2023 | PowerSouth Energy Cooperative |
| 17 | McIntosh (AL) | Natural gas | 676 MW | 1991 | PowerSouth Energy Cooperative |
| 18 | Wilson Dam | Hydroelectric | 667 MW | 1925 | Tennessee Valley Authority |
| 19 | McWilliams | Natural gas | 654 MW | 1954 | PowerSouth Energy Cooperative |
| 20 | Wheeler Dam | Hydroelectric | 404 MW | 1936 | Tennessee Valley Authority |
| 21 | Theodore Cogen Facility | Natural gas | 317 MW | 2000 | Alabama Power Co |
| 22 | Hog Bayou Energy Center | Natural gas | 280 MW | 2001 | Mobile Energy LLC |
| 23 | Muscle Shoals | Solar | 227 MW | 2021 | Muscle Shoals Solar, LLC |
| 24 | Walter Bouldin Dam | Hydroelectric | 225 MW | 1967 | Alabama Power Co |
| 25 | Martin Dam | Hydroelectric | 211 MW | 1927 | Alabama Power Co |
Largest plant for each main fuel
| Main fuel | Plants | Capacity | Largest plant | Its capacity |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Natural gas | 26 | 19.7 GW | Barry | 3,344 MW |
| Nuclear | 2 | 5,630 MW | Browns Ferry | 3,854 MW |
| Coal | 1 | 2,822 MW | James H Miller Jr | 2,822 MW |
| Hydroelectric | 23 | 3,318 MW | Wilson Dam | 667 MW |
| Solar | 12 | 747 MW | Muscle Shoals | 227 MW |
| Biomass and waste | 11 | 675 MW | Mead Coated Board | 120 MW |
| Oil and petroleum | 3 | 26.6 MW | Bellefonte | 14 MW |
Balancing areas
| Area | Plants | Capacity |
|---|---|---|
| Southern Company | 62 | 24.5 GW |
| Tennessee Valley Authority | 16 | 8,396 MW |
Biggest operators here
| Operator | Plants | Capacity |
|---|---|---|
| Alabama Power Co | 27 | 16.2 GW |
| Tennessee Valley Authority | 6 | 6,224 MW |
| Southern Power Co | 2 | 3,300 MW |
| PowerSouth Energy Cooperative | 5 | 2,071 MW |
| Decatur Energy Center LLC | 1 | 902 MW |
| Morgan Energy Center LLC | 1 | 900 MW |
| CER Generation LLC | 1 | 823 MW |
| Mobile Energy LLC | 1 | 280 MW |
| Georgia Power Co | 3 | 242 MW |
| Muscle Shoals Solar, LLC | 1 | 227 MW |