For U.S. utility-scale electricity generation, natural gas produces less direct carbon dioxide per kilowatt-hour than coal in the U.S. Energy Information Administration’s 2023 averages. That does not make gas automatically cheaper or more reliable: costs depend on location, year and what is being compared, while reliability depends on the plant, its fuel supply and grid conditions.
Which fuel emits less CO2 per kilowatt-hour?
On a direct plant-emissions basis, natural gas emitted substantially less CO2 per unit of electricity than coal in the EIA’s U.S. utility-scale averages for 2023. EIA cautions that emissions at individual plants can vary considerably.
| Fuel | Direct CO2 emissions per kWh | Total CO2 from generation |
|---|---|---|
| Coal | 2.31 pounds | 709 million metric tons |
| Natural gas | 0.96 pounds | 790 million metric tons |
Source for both columns: U.S. Energy Information Administration, 2023 U.S. utility-scale generation averages. The per-kWh figures measure emissions intensity; the annual totals measure emissions volume. Natural gas generated more electricity that year, so its total emissions were higher even though its direct emissions per kWh were lower.
What the direct-emissions comparison leaves out
The figures above cover CO2 emitted at power plants. They are not a complete lifecycle climate comparison. A lifecycle assessment would also account for impacts such as methane released during natural-gas production and transport, as well as coal mining and transport. Its result depends on factors including plant efficiency and, for methane, the time horizon used to evaluate its warming effect.
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The EIA direct-emissions figures do not settle that broader comparison. In particular, 0.96 pounds per kWh should not be read as the full climate footprint of natural-gas electricity.
Which fuel is cheaper for electricity?
There is no timeless national winner. The answer changes with region and year, and with the cost measure: delivered fuel price, the cost to operate an existing plant, or the modeled cost of building and operating a new one. These are different comparisons, and a fuel-price comparison alone does not establish which electricity is cheaper overall.
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Delivered fuel prices
Coal and natural-gas prices vary by state and month. A fair fuel-cost comparison therefore needs a defined location and period, using delivered prices for the same timeframe. EIA’s electricity-data index identifies monthly state-level delivered fuel costs and annual weighted-average fossil-fuel cost data; its listed monthly release date is September 24, 2026, and its listed annual-data release date is October 16, 2025.
Existing plants and new construction
Fuel is only one part of an existing plant’s operating cost. Comparing new resources adds construction and financing costs, operating assumptions and expected utilization. EIA’s Annual Energy Outlook 2026 levelized-cost-of-electricity analysis is a modeled comparison of new resources, with regulatory and carbon-capture assumptions; it should not be treated as the current cost of every existing coal or gas plant.
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To answer a specific cost question, first choose the state or region and year, then compare the same cost category for both fuels. Without those choices and a matched dataset, the evidence does not establish a single coal-versus-gas cost result.
Does coal or gas provide more reliable power?
Reliability is not an inherent single-number property of a fuel. A useful comparison asks whether a plant is available when needed, how quickly it can start or change output, whether fuel can reach it during system stress, and whether transmission constraints limit its delivery. The relevant evidence is specific to the units, region and event being considered.
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Capacity factor—the electricity a plant actually generated divided by what it could have generated continuously over a period—describes utilization, not reliability. A low capacity factor may be intentional for a plant designed to run mainly during demand peaks. It does not, by itself, show forced-outage risk, performance during a grid emergency, or how much dependable capacity the plant contributes at the system peak.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Gas plants have different operating roles
Natural-gas plants are not one uniform technology. EIA’s 2022 figures show different utilization patterns across types of gas-fired generators:
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- INSTALLS IN CIRCUIT PANEL of most homes with clamp-on sensors. Supports Single phase, Single-split phase, and 2-wire systems. 3-wire systems; 3-phase, 4-wire Wye systems with earthed (TN or TT) neutral (no-Delta) are supported with an additional 200A sensor (sold separately).
- 24/7 ENERGY MANAGEMENT AND MONITORING: Automate, manage and control your home's real power anywhere, anytime to prevent costly repairs, conserve energy, and save costs. Monitor solar / net metering. PROTECTED BY A 1-YEAR WARRANTY.
- LOWER YOUR ELECTRIC BILL: Configure settings in the Emporia Energy App to automate energy management for time of use, peak demand, excess solar, and rewards programs. You can even see live reporting and invaluable savings opportunities instantly. Gauge real-time spending and get actionable notifications and automated energy management to help you reduce costs.
- REAL-TIME ENERGY DATA: REQUIRES 2.4 GHz WIFI WITH AN INTERNET CONNECTION to monitor energy use with iPhone / Android / Web app. Vue sensors collect energy data and are accurate from ±2%. The Vue is UL and CE Listed for your safety. 1 second data is only available in the app (when actively open) and retained 3 hours. Minute and hour data are retained in the cloud. 1 minute data is retained 7 days, 1 hour data is retained indefinitely. Export cloud data whenever you want in the app.
| Gas plant type | Approximate 2022 capacity factor | Typical role described by EIA |
|---|---|---|
| Combined-cycle (CCGT), fleetwide | 56% | Base and intermediate load |
| Newest CCGT cohort | 66% | Newer combined-cycle fleet utilization |
| Simple-cycle gas turbine | 13% | Often called during high demand or to back up intermittent renewable generation |
| Gas steam turbine | 16% | Often called during high demand or to back up intermittent renewable generation |
| Internal-combustion generator | 18% | Often called during high demand or to back up intermittent renewable generation |
Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration, 2022. These capacity factors describe how much the plant types ran, not a reliability ranking. EIA describes combined-cycle plants as efficient and configured for base and intermediate load; simple-cycle turbines and other gas units used for peaks can start and ramp quickly. A utilization figure alone cannot show whether any unit will be available at a particular high-risk moment.
How to make a fair coal-versus-gas comparison
For a specific utility, state or grid decision, compare like with like rather than trying to name a universal winner:
- Emissions: Separate direct plant CO2 per kWh from annual total emissions and from lifecycle greenhouse-gas emissions.
- Cost: Set the location, year and measure first—delivered fuel, existing-plant operating cost or new-build levelized cost.
- Reliability: Compare plant availability and forced outages, start and ramp capability, fuel delivery security during extreme weather, transmission constraints and output during the relevant system peak.
- Plant type and operating role: Distinguish combined-cycle gas units from peaking turbines and other generator types; do not treat a single capacity factor as proof of reliability.
When explaining operating roles, EIA notes: “Because so many variables and considerations affect capacity factor, no strict definitions separate base load, intermediate, and peaking operating strategies.”
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