Fossil fuel consumption in the US electric power sector declined to 22.5 quadrillion British thermal units (quads) in 2017, the lowest level since 1994, according to the US Energy Information Administration (EIA).

The declining trend in fossil fuel consumption by the power sector has been driven by a decrease in the use of coal and petroleum with a slightly offsetting increase in the use of natural gas, while renewables also posted gains in market share

Changes in the fuel mix and improvements in electricity generating technology have also led the power sector to produce electricity while consuming fewer fossil fuels.