In 2000 Louisiana's total per capita energy consumption was 887 million Btu (223.5 million kcal), ranking it 2nd among the 50 states.
In 1999, power plants in Louisiana had a total installed capacity (utility and nonutility) of 20.2million kW. In the same year, total electrical generation was 90.1 billion kWh. As of 2001, Louisiana had two nuclear power plants: Waterford 3 in St. Charles Parish (capacity, 1,091,000 kW), which received a low-power operating license on 18 December 1984, and River Bend I in West Feliciana Parish (980,000 kW), which began commercial operation in December 1985.
Oil and gas production has expanded greatly since World War II, but production reached its peak in the early 1970s and proved reserves are declining. Louisiana produced 256,000 barrels per day of crude oil during 2002, the 4th-highest total among the 50 states and about 5% of the US total. At the end of 2001, remaining proven reserves of oil in Louisiana amounted to 564 million barrels, 3% of the US total and 5th among the 50 states.
Marketed production of natural gas in 2001 was 1,537 billion cu ft (43.5 billion cu m), leaving proven reserves of 9.81 trillion cu ft (0.28 trillion cu m). There were 16,350 producing gas wells in 2001, down from 18,399 in 1998. Energy conservation plans in Louisiana call for development of untapped energy sources, such as the state's lignite and geothermal reserves.