Molly Ayala
Mississippi's energy sources are diverse, with natural gas, nuclear power, coal, solar energy, and biomass all contributing to the state's electricity generation. In 2023, natural gas accounted for 76% of Mississippi's net electricity generation, with nuclear power contributing 16% and coal at 6%. The state has a large nuclear power reactor, the Grand Gulf Nuclear Power Station, and its two coal-fired power plants are primarily fuelled by coal mined in Mississippi itself. Additionally, Mississippi has a significant capacity for underground natural gas storage in its underground salt caverns. The state's electricity landscape has evolved since 1935 when less than 1% of rural areas had access to electricity. Today, Mississippi's power generation includes a mix of traditional and renewable energy sources, reflecting a transition towards a more sustainable energy future.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Natural gas contribution to net generation | 76% in 2023 |
| Nuclear power contribution to net generation | 16% in 2023 |
| Coal contribution to net generation | 6% in 2023 |
| Renewable resources contribution to net generation | Almost 3% in 2023 |
| Solar energy contribution to renewable generation | About one-third in 2023 |
| Biomass contribution to renewable generation | About two-thirds in 2023 |
| Total summer capacity of all power plants | 14,833 MW in 2023 |
| Net generation of all power plants | 72,933 GWh in 2023 |
| Natural gas contribution to electric power sector deliveries | 70% in 2023 |
| Example natural gas-fired power plant | Eaton Electric Generating Plant |
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Natural gas
Mississippi's electricity generation landscape is dominated by natural gas, which accounted for 76% of the state's in-state net generation in 2023. This natural gas powers 9 of the state's 10 largest power plants in terms of both generating capacity and annual generation. The electric power sector accounted for 70% of Mississippi's natural gas deliveries to consumers in 2023, with the sector's natural gas use reaching a record high after increasing by 75% over the past decade.
Mississippi has a large natural gas processing plant and a liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminal located along its Gulf of America coastline. The LNG terminal, situated near Pascagoula, can regasify up to 1.5 billion cubic feet of LNG imports per day. In 2019, the terminal received approval to add export capabilities, but as of 2024, the export capacity is still under development, with a new completion deadline set for 2029.
While natural gas is the primary source of electricity generation in Mississippi, the state also utilises other energy sources. Nuclear power is the second-largest provider, accounting for 16% of the state's generation in 2023. The Grand Gulf Nuclear Power Station, with a capacity of 1,400 megawatts, is the largest single-reactor nuclear power plant in the United States and the 11th largest in the world. Coal, although in decline, still contributed about 6% of the state's net generation in 2023, primarily consumed by the state's two coal-fired power plants. Additionally, renewable resources, such as biomass and solar energy, are making modest contributions to Mississippi's energy mix, with solar energy providing about one-third of the state's renewable electricity generation.
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Nuclear power
In 2023, nuclear power was the second-largest provider of electricity in Mississippi, accounting for 16% of the state's generation. The Grand Gulf Nuclear Power Station in Port Gibson, Mississippi, is the largest single-reactor nuclear power plant by net summer generating capacity in the US and the 11th largest in the world. With a capacity of 1,400 megawatts, the plant generated about 16% of the state's electricity in 2023.
Mississippi has the largest nuclear power reactor by generating capacity in the United States. Nuclear power is a vital source of electricity in Mississippi, providing a substantial portion of the state's energy needs. The state's reliance on nuclear energy is expected to continue in the coming years, with the Grand Gulf Nuclear Power Station playing a pivotal role in meeting the electricity demands of Mississippi's residents and businesses.
In recent years, Mississippi has witnessed a decline in coal-fired generation, with coal contributing only 6% of the state's net generation in 2023, marking the lowest level of coal-fired generation in over two decades. This shift away from coal has further solidified the importance of nuclear power in the state's energy landscape.
Looking ahead, Mississippi is poised to continue harnessing nuclear power as a key component of its energy strategy. The Grand Gulf Nuclear Power Station, with its impressive generating capacity, will undoubtedly remain central to the state's electricity production, ensuring a stable and reliable supply of electricity for Mississippi's growing needs.
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Coal
Mississippi has an estimated five billion tons of coal reserves, almost entirely consisting of lignite. The state's coal production comes from the Red Hills surface coal mine in Choctaw County, which supplies lignite to a nearby power plant. Lignite has a lower heating value and higher moisture content than other types of coal.
In 2023, coal fuelled about 6% of Mississippi's net generation, down from 16% a decade earlier—the lowest amount of coal-fired generation in the state in over 20 years. Mississippi's two coal-fired power plants consume almost all of the coal used in the state, with more than two-thirds of it mined in Mississippi and the rest sourced primarily from Wyoming.
The Kemper Project in Kemper County, Mississippi, was initially a coal-fired power plant based on "clean coal," employing gasification and carbon capture technologies. However, in 2017, due to management problems and escalating costs, the project switched to burning natural gas to manage costs. The project intended to utilise local brown coal (lignite) and produce cleaner energy through integrated gasification combined cycle (IGCC) technology, converting lignite coal into synthetic gas (syngas) for power generation.
Mississippi Power, the company behind the Kemper Project, aimed to add balance to its fuel sources and reduce reliance on a single energy form by including coal. They also planned to capture and utilise a significant portion of the carbon dioxide produced in coal-fired electricity generation for Enhanced Oil Recovery.
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Solar and biomass energy
Mississippi's electricity generation from renewable sources comes from solar and biomass energy. In 2023, renewable resources generated almost 3% of Mississippi's utility-scale electricity.
Solar Energy in Mississippi
Solar energy provided about one-third of Mississippi's electricity generation from renewables in 2023. Utility-scale solar power generation (1 megawatt or larger) is small, at almost 1% of the state's total generation, but it has increased rapidly in recent years.
Mississippi Power has partnered with the U.S. Navy on four utility-scale solar facilities in the company's service territory, generating nearly 160 MW of electricity, enough to power over 23,000 homes for a year. One of these is a 50-MW utility-scale solar energy project in Hattiesburg, owned by Silicon Ranch Corporation. Another is a 52.5-MW utility-scale solar energy project in Lauderdale County, also owned by Silicon Ranch Corporation.
Other solar energy projects in Mississippi include the Sumrall Solar Farm in Sumrall, which has a capacity of 143.9 MW, and the TerraForm Arcadia Holdings project at the Naval Construction Battalion Center (Seabee Base) in Gulfport, which generates 3.29 MW of utility-scale solar energy.
Mississippi Solar, LLC is a Mississippi-owned and operated Licensed Solar Installer. They design and install complete solar PV and backup power solutions for both on-grid and off-grid needs. They have been helping customers save money and increase their energy independence since 2009.
Biomass Energy in Mississippi
Biomass from wood and wood waste accounts for about two-thirds of Mississippi's renewable electricity. With more than three-fifths of the state covered in forestland and about one-third of the state's land used for agriculture, Mississippi has abundant biomass resources, including logging residue, municipal landfills, crop residues, poultry litter, and livestock manure.
Some biomass resources provide feedstock for the state's two wood pellet manufacturing plants, with a combined production capacity of 690,000 tons of pellets per year, which is about 5% of the U.S. total.
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Rural electrification
In Mississippi, electricity comes from a variety of sources, including natural gas, nuclear power, coal, biomass, and solar energy. The state has the largest nuclear power reactor by generating capacity in the United States, with the 1,400-megawatt Grand Gulf Nuclear Power Station contributing about 16% of the state's electricity in 2023. Natural gas accounted for 76% of Mississippi's net generation in 2023, while coal fueled about 6%, down from 16% a decade earlier.
Now, let's focus on the topic of rural electrification in Mississippi:
In the early 1930s, less than 1% of Mississippi's farms and rural residents had access to electric power. This lack of electrification was a significant issue, impacting the quality of life and hindering economic growth in rural areas. People in these regions faced challenges such as laboring without electric water pumps, augers, washing machines, lights, or fans. The high costs of extending electrical infrastructure to sparsely populated areas and the low return on investment discouraged private investors from financing electrical delivery systems in rural Mississippi.
Recognizing the importance of electricity in improving rural life and reducing rural-to-urban migration, politicians like Senator George W. Norris and Mississippi's John E. Rankin advocated for rural electrification. President Franklin D. Roosevelt also played a pivotal role in promoting rural electrification. He established the Rural Electrification Administration (REA) in 1935 through an executive order, aiming to provide low-interest loans to electrical cooperatives across the United States. Roosevelt's administration designed programs to address the economic problems of the Great Depression and improve the lives of Americans, including those in rural areas.
Mississippi was an early leader in rural electrification efforts. The state's first rural electric cooperative, the Alcorn County Electric Power Association, was established in 1934 by the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) as an experimental project. The following year, in September 1935, the Monroe County Electric Power Association of Amory became the first cooperative in Mississippi to secure an REA loan and begin operations. Over the years, 25 or 26 electric power associations were formed in Mississippi, providing wholesale power to distribution cooperatives and ensuring that virtually all rural homes and farms in the state now have access to electricity.
The success of rural electrification in Mississippi can be attributed to grassroots movements and cooperation among neighbors. Rural residents united to borrow money, build electric systems, and repay government loans with interest. Electric power associations, as unique forms of electric utilities, serve about half of Mississippi's electric meters. They are not-for-profit cooperatives owned and governed by the consumers they serve, with members paying a fee and applying for electric service. Through these associations, rural Mississippians gained access to electricity, improving their quality of life and empowering them with the amenities and opportunities that electricity provides.
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Frequently asked questions
The main sources of electricity in Mississippi are natural gas, nuclear power, coal, solar energy, biomass, and wind.
Mississippi Power, a subsidiary of Southern Company, is an electric utility company that serves most cities, towns, and communities in southeast Mississippi. It also provides wholesale electric power to six Rural Electrification Administration-financed electric cooperatives and one municipality.
In 1935, less than 1% of Mississippi's farms and rural residents had access to electricity. Through the creation of 25 electric power associations (rural electric cooperatives), Mississippi was able to bring electricity to virtually all rural homes and farms in the state.
Notable power plants in Mississippi include the Grand Gulf Nuclear Power Station, the largest single-reactor nuclear power plant in the US by net summer generating capacity; the Kemper Coal Plant, built by Mississippi Power to diversify its energy portfolio; and the Eaton Electric Generating Plant, a natural gas-fired power plant that was the first high-pressure steam plant in the state.
