From July 2025 through June 2026, Nebraska’s electricity consumption was supplied in almost equal proportions by fossil fuels and low-carbon sources: about 48% and 47%, respectively. Coal dominated the fossil share, supplying roughly 45% of electricity, while gas supplied about 3%. Among clean sources, wind provided around 27%, nuclear 16%, and hydropower 3%. Net imports accounted for about 4%; the supplied data does not identify their electricity sources. Nebraska therefore has a substantial low-carbon electricity base, but coal still supplies more electricity than any individual clean source.

Is Electricity Growing in Nebraska?

Electricity consumption is growing in Nebraska. The latest 2026 figure reached about 21,300 kWh per person, exceeding the previous record of roughly 20,500 kWh in 2025 by around 750 kWh, or nearly 4%. That growth is welcome as electrification and AI increase demand for electricity. However, low-carbon electricity generation has not quite matched its previous peak: the latest figure was about 10,100 kWh per person, around 60 kWh below the 2023 record—a shortfall of less than 1%. Clean generation needs renewed growth to keep pace with rising consumption and reduce dependence on fossil fuels.

Suggestions

Nebraska can build on its established nuclear and wind generation while adding considerably more solar electricity. Nearby examples are especially useful: the US states of Iowa and South Dakota generate about 57% and 56% of their electricity from wind, respectively, while Kansas generates nearly half. These regions demonstrate the potential for further wind development across the Great Plains. For nuclear expansion, Nebraska can learn from the US state of Illinois, where nuclear supplies about 49% of electricity, and France, where it supplies roughly two-thirds. Solar offers another strong growth opportunity: the US state of Colorado generates about 14% of its electricity from solar, while Nevada reaches 35%. Expanding these complementary clean technologies would help meet growing electricity demand while cutting the climate-changing emissions and air pollution associated with fossil fuels.

History

The recent history shows uneven progress in Nebraska’s low-carbon electricity generation. Nuclear generation increased by 0.8 TWh in 2025, providing an important boost to clean electricity, and remained unchanged in 2026. Wind generation was flat in 2024 and then decreased by 0.2 TWh in each of 2025 and 2026—a disappointing trend for an established source with substantial expansion potential. Hydropower was unchanged in 2024 and 2025 before adding 0.3 TWh in 2026, while biofuel generation remained unchanged throughout these three years. Overall, these mixed results reinforce the need for sustained growth in nuclear, wind, and solar electricity rather than relying on isolated annual gains.

Electricity Imports and Exports

Balance of Trade

* 12M = Last 12 months (Jul 2025 – Jun 2026) — a rolling 12-month period, not a calendar year.