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U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Energy data report: annual energy balance, 1978

Technical Report ·
OSTI ID:5107442

US energy production in 1978 increased for the third consecutive year. The 61.0 quadrillion Btu produced in 1978 was 0.63 quadrillion Btu or 1.0% greater than that during 1977 and represented the largest annual increase since 1972. Petroleum (including crude oil, lease condensate and natural gas plant liquids) was the nation's principal domestic energy source in 1978, supplying 33.8% of total production. Electricity production from nuclear powerplants increased 10% in 1978 to a record 276 billion kWh, 12.5% of total energy output. Hydropower electricity production totaled 281 billion kWh, 27.1% above the 1977 level when output was its lowest in recent years because of drought conditions in western states. US energy consumption in 1978 totaled 78.01 quadrillion Btu, 1.9% higher than that during 1977. Consumption of refined petroleum products, the major item of energy consumption, was 37.79 quadrillion Btu in 1978. This represented 48.4% of total energy consumption and was 1.6% greater than the 1977 level. Natural gas and coal consumption declined slightly during 1978. Non-fossil sources continued to provide a growing share of energy consumption, accounting for 7.9% of the total in 1978 compared with 5.3% in 1973. Consumption of energy in the electric utilities sector in 1978 was 4.9% above the 1977 level, the largest increase for any sector. Energy consumption in the residential and commercial sector and the transportation sector increased a modest 1.6% and 2.6%, respectively. Only the industrial sector had a decrease, a decline of 2.3%. In current dollars, the price of domestically produced energy continued to increase.

Research Organization:
Department of Energy, Washington, DC (USA). Energy Information Administration
OSTI ID:
5107442
Report Number(s):
DOE/EIA-0181
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English