ed ▁in ▁the ▁United ▁States . ▁ ▁The ▁United ▁States ▁is ▁a ▁net ▁exp orter ▁of ▁coal . ▁Co al ▁exports , ▁for ▁which ▁Europe ▁is ▁the ▁largest ▁customer , ▁pe aked ▁in ▁ 2 0 1 2 ▁and ▁have ▁decl ined ▁since . ▁ ▁In ▁ 2 0 1 5 , ▁the ▁US ▁export ed ▁ 7 . 0 % ▁of ▁m ined ▁coal . ▁ ▁Co al ▁has ▁been ▁used ▁to ▁generate ▁electric ity ▁in ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁since ▁an ▁Ed ison ▁plant ▁was ▁built ▁in ▁New ▁York ▁City ▁in ▁ 1 8 8 2 . ▁ ▁The ▁first ▁AC ▁power ▁station ▁was ▁opened ▁by ▁General ▁Electric ▁in ▁Ehren feld , ▁Pennsylvania ▁in ▁ 1 9 0 2 , ▁serv icing ▁the ▁Web ster ▁Co al ▁and ▁Co ke ▁Company . ▁ ▁By ▁the ▁mid - 2 0 th ▁century , ▁coal ▁had ▁become ▁the ▁leading ▁fuel ▁for ▁generating ▁electric ity ▁in ▁the ▁US . ▁ ▁The ▁long , ▁steady ▁rise ▁of ▁coal - f ired ▁generation ▁of ▁electric ity ▁shift ed ▁to ▁a ▁decl ine ▁after ▁ 2 0 0 7 . ▁ ▁The ▁decl ine ▁has ▁been ▁linked ▁to ▁the ▁increased ▁avail ability ▁of ▁natural ▁gas , ▁decre ased ▁consumption , ▁renew able ▁electric ity , ▁and ▁more ▁string ent ▁environmental ▁reg ulations . ▁ ▁The ▁Environment al ▁Prote ction ▁Agency ▁has ▁advanced ▁restrictions ▁on ▁coal ▁plants ▁to ▁counter act ▁mer cur y ▁poll ution , ▁sm og , ▁and ▁global ▁war ming . ▁ ▁H ydro elect ric