Over the past year, spanning from September 2024 to August 2025, electricity consumption in Louisiana shows a heavy reliance on fossil fuels, which constitute nearly 70% of the total production. Most of this comes from gas, which alone provides more than 60%, while coal contributes just over 4%. Low-carbon sources, which are crucial for combating climate change, account for roughly 18% of Louisiana's electricity. This includes nuclear energy, contributing over 13%, solar energy at a modest 2%, and biofuels at less than 2%. Louisiana also relies on net imports for about 12% of its electricity supply. This diverse energy mix highlights a significant challenge in transitioning further towards clean energy, with fossil fuels still being the primary source of power.
Data sources used on this page include EIA. More about data sources →
Is Electricity Growing in Louisiana?
Despite the importance of clean energy for environmental sustainability, electricity consumption in Louisiana has not shown growth, which is disappointing. In 2025, Louisiana's total electricity consumption was approximately 24,934 kWh per person, a decline from the 2022 peak of over 26,000 kWh per person. The state's generation from low-carbon sources has similarly seen a reduction, down to 4,462 kWh per person from a historic high of 4,888 kWh per person in 2010. This stagnation is concerning given the pressing need for both increased consumption to meet future demands and a much larger share of clean energy to reduce emissions and environmental impact.
Suggestions
To enhance low-carbon electricity generation, Louisiana should prioritize the expansion of existing nuclear capabilities, a proven and significant source of clean electricity within the state. By studying successful regions, Louisiana can learn valuable lessons; for instance, France showcases an excellent model with a dominant 68% of its electricity coming from nuclear power. Furthermore, solar energy holds great promise, as evidenced by Nevada and California, where solar energy accounts for about one-third and nearly 30% of electricity generation, respectively. By investing in both nuclear and solar technologies, Louisiana can move towards a cleaner, more sustainable future while ensuring energy security and reliability.
History
Throughout the early 21st century, nuclear energy in Louisiana experienced fluctuating output. In the first decade, nuclear generation achieved significant growth in years like 2006, 2009, and 2010, but also saw troubling declines, as in 2005 and 2008. The following decade showed a similar pattern, with declines in key years like 2015 and significant reductions in 2019. More recently, despite experiencing setbacks in 2022 and 2023, encouraging progress was made in 2020 and 2024, with nuclear generation increasing notably. Solar energy has shown consistent growth over the previous two years, adding to the clean energy mix in 2024 and 2025. The overall history underscores the need for stability and expansion in nuclear and solar capacities to ensure a reliable and increasingly clean energy supply for the state.
