▁ ▁In ▁ 2 0 1 5 , ▁elect rical ▁energy ▁usage ▁in ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁was ▁ 1 . 6 % ▁more ▁than ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 5 ▁and ▁ 1 % ▁less ▁than ▁the ▁peak ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 7 . ▁Per - cap ita ▁consumption ▁has ▁decre ased ▁about ▁ 7 % ▁since ▁its ▁peak ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 7 ▁and ▁every ▁year ▁since ▁has ▁shown ▁a ▁decrease ▁in ▁individual ▁consumption . ▁Conserv ation ▁efforts ▁are ▁helping . ▁At ▁least , ▁for ▁the ▁next ▁de cade , ▁coal , ▁natural ▁gas , ▁and ▁nuclear ▁will ▁remain ▁the ▁top ▁three ▁fu els ▁for ▁electric ▁energy ▁generation ▁in ▁the ▁USA . ▁Co al ▁will ▁continu ously ▁decrease ▁its ▁contribution , ▁with ▁natural ▁gas ▁increasing ▁its ▁contribution . ▁N uc lear ▁will ▁have ▁some ▁down s ▁( de comm ission ings ) ▁and ▁ups ▁( new ▁online ▁plants ) ▁but ▁probably ▁remain ▁about ▁constant . ▁H ydro ▁will ▁maintain . ▁Pet role um ▁will ▁continue ▁to ▁decrease ▁in ▁importance . ▁Wind ▁and ▁solar ▁will ▁continue ▁to ▁grow ▁in ▁importance ; ▁their ▁combined ▁generation ▁was ▁ 5 . 2 9 % ▁of ▁US ▁electric ▁generation ▁for ▁ 2 0 1 5 ▁or ▁ 5 . 2 0 % ▁of ▁total ▁US ▁consumption . ▁ ▁From ▁the ▁beginning ▁of ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁until ▁ 1 9 7 3 , ▁total ▁energy ▁( including ▁elect rical ) ▁use ▁increased ▁by ▁about ▁ 3 % ▁per ▁year , ▁while ▁population ▁increased ▁an ▁average ▁of