In the past twelve months, from September 2024 to August 2025, Vermont's electricity consumption heavily relied on imported energy, accounting for more than half of the total, with net imports reaching 61.3%. Clean energy sources made up the remaining share, at close to 39%, with hydropower standing out as the most significant contributor, ensuring over 17% of electric needs. Solar power, including solar behind-the-meter (BTM) and solar utility, together contributed about 8%, with BTM and utility solar both contributing close to 4% each. Biofuels comprised almost 7%, and wind contributed over 6%, showing Vermont's commitment to maintaining a significant portion of its electricity from low-carbon sources, despite the dominance of fossil fuel energy measures.
Data sources used on this page include EIA. More about data sources →
Is Electricity Growing in Vermont?
As of 2025, Vermont's average electricity consumption has been calculated at 9509 kWh per person, a decline from the peak figure of 11,655 kWh per person recorded in 2009. This drop indicates a reduction of approximately 18% or over 2100 kWh per person. Similarly, the current output of low-carbon electricity generation is at 3677 kWh per person, significantly lower than the 11,644 kWh per person measured in 2009, marking a more than two-thirds decline, close to 8,000 kWh per person. This decrease in overall consumption and low-carbon electricity generation is concerning and points towards Vermont's need to revitalize its electricity growth and transition to more sustainable, low-carbon sources.
Suggestions
To enhance low-carbon electricity generation, Vermont can draw inspiration from successful regions around the globe. States like Nevada and California have proven the effectiveness of solar power, generating 33% and 29% of their electricity from solar, respectively. Increasing Vermont's focus on solar energy could significantly boost its low-carbon capacity. Additionally, Vermont can consider incorporating nuclear energy, learning from successes in New Hampshire, where nuclear power accounts for 54% of electricity generation. This integration could provide a stable and reliable source of clean energy for Vermont. The expansion of both solar and nuclear energy could play a crucial role in Vermont's efforts to increase its low-carbon electricity infrastructure while reducing its dependency on imported and fossil fuel-based power.
History
The history of low-carbon electricity generation in Vermont illustrates a rather inconsistent progression. Initially, the mid-2000s saw growth with nuclear increasing by 0.2 TWh in 2005 and a notable 1 TWh in 2006, and hydro adding 0.3 TWh more in the same year. However, Vermont faced setbacks, especially in 2007, with hydro decreasing by 0.9 TWh and nuclear shedding 0.4 TWh. The trend continued with recurring reductions, notably the nuclear decline of 0.6 TWh in 2010 and continued hydro challenges through the early 2010s. Although Vermont made attempts to boost generation capacity with gains in biofuels and hydro by 0.1 TWh each in 2013, the closure of the nuclear plant and fluctuating hydro output reflected serious challenges in achieving consistent low-carbon growth. This indicates a critical need for strategic planning and investment in stable and growth-oriented clean electricity sources like solar and nuclear for Vermont to overcome its historical setbacks.
