Over the past year, spanning from June 2024 to May 2025, electricity consumption in Mississippi reveals a heavy reliance on fossil fuels, which account for roughly 79% of the state's electricity generation. The majority of this fossil fuel consumption comes from gas, making up about 74%, with coal contributing just over 5%. On the brighter side, low-carbon energy sources are responsible for almost 21% of the generation, demonstrating a growing commitment to cleaner energy. Nuclear power plays a significant role within this category, producing approximately 15%, while solar power contributes slightly over 3%. Biofuels, though classified as low-carbon, provide a minimal impact, accounting for only around 1.6% of electricity generation.
Is Electricity Growing in Mississippi?
The recent data on electricity consumption in Mississippi indicates a promising trend of growth. The total electricity consumption for 2025 reached approximately 25,522 kWh per person, which is a slight increase compared to the 2024 levels, showing a rise of 252 kWh per person. This reflects a growing demand for electricity in the state. More notably, low-carbon electricity generation has seen an impressive increase. The latest generation figures stand at over 5,295 kWh per person, which represents a significant increase of 593 kWh per person from the previous year. This substantial growth highlights the state's efforts to embrace cleaner, more sustainable energy sources, setting a positive precedent for future development.
Suggestions
To further increase low-carbon electricity generation in Mississippi, expanding nuclear energy capacity could prove beneficial, given its substantial existing contribution to the state’s current low-carbon generation. Additionally, Mississippi can look to other successful regions for inspiration. By examining the achievements of regions such as Illinois, which generates over half of its electricity from nuclear power, Mississippi can replicate such effective strategies. Moreover, integrating more solar power could be advantageous, drawing lessons from states like Nevada, where solar energy accounts for nearly 30% of their electricity generation. By adopting similar initiatives, Mississippi can strengthen and diversify its clean energy portfolio, helping to reduce dependence on fossil fuels and fostering a healthier environment.
History
Historically, Mississippi's nuclear electricity generation has experienced fluctuations, especially in the early 21st century. In 2009 and 2013, notable increases in nuclear electricity were recorded, with surges of 1.6 and 3.6 TWh, respectively. Conversely, other years, such as 2012 and 2016, witnessed significant declines of 3 TWh and 5.8 TWh, respectively, which posed challenges to continuity in low-carbon growth. However, more recent years have shown a gradual recovery and positive steps. For instance, 2021 recorded a remarkable increase of 5.3 TWh in nuclear generation, contributing to the steady growth of clean electricity. Solar energy, although a smaller player in the past, has made incremental progress since 2024, adding to the state’s clean energy resources. These developments highlight the potential for continued growth in low-carbon energy, building upon the strong nuclear foundation and integrating more solar generation to meet evolving electricity demands.