NAICS 2211

Electric Power Generation, Transmission & Distribution

NAICS 2211: Electric power generation, transmission, and distribution. Overview of utilities, market trends, regulation, and industry statistics.

Published by VantaInsights Research·Methodology·Data Sources· AI-drafted
Built on data from Census Bureau CBP Bureau of Labor Statistics Federal Reserve FRED SEC EDGAR

Industry at a Glance

Sector-wide aggregates across all businesses classified under NAICS 2211 (2017 classification frame). For specific sub-industries within this sector, see the individual reports below.

Employment
520K
US Census CBP · 2023 · NAICS 2017
Establishments
13K
US Census CBP · 2023 · NAICS 2017
Annual Payroll
$69.3B
US Census CBP · 2023 · NAICS 2017
Avg Annual Wage
$133,287
Derived from US Census CBP · 2023 · NAICS 2017
Market Size
$563.3B
US Census Economic Census · 2022 · NAICS 2017

Industry Overview

NAICS 2211 encompasses the generation, transmission, and distribution of electric power in the United States. This industry includes investor-owned utilities, publicly-owned utilities, rural electric cooperatives, and independent power producers that operate generation facilities (fossil fuel, nuclear, renewable) and maintain the infrastructure that delivers electricity to residential, commercial, and industrial customers. The electric power industry is fundamental to the U.S. economy, serving as critical infrastructure that enables all other economic activity. Electric utilities operate under extensive federal and state regulatory frameworks, with rates and service obligations determined by public utility commissions, making this a heavily regulated capital-intensive industry characterized by long-term infrastructure investments and stable, predictable revenue streams.

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Industry Trends

01

Accelerating transition to renewable energy sources including solar and wind power, driven by state renewable portfolio standards, federal tax credits, and corporate sustainability commitments, fundamentally changing generation portfolios across the industry.

02

Modernization and digitalization of the electrical grid through smart grid technologies, advanced metering infrastructure, and increased deployment of distributed energy resources, which improves efficiency and enables two-way power flows.

03

Growing electrification of transportation and heating sectors as utilities invest in electric vehicle charging infrastructure and heat pump deployment, expanding demand beyond traditional electricity consumption patterns.

04

Rising infrastructure investment requirements driven by aging transmission and distribution assets, extreme weather resilience, and grid modernization, with utilities undertaking multi-billion dollar capital expenditure programs.

NERC

Increasing frequency and complexity of cybersecurity threats targeting critical infrastructure, prompting substantial investments in operational technology security, monitoring systems, and regulatory compliance with NERC standards.

Available Reports

2 industry reports available for purchase under Electric Power Generation, Transmission & Distribution.

Fossil Fuel Electric Power Generation
NAICS 221112
→
Solar Electric Power Generation
NAICS 221114
→

Specialty Reports Available on Request

10 specialty industriesavailable on request
▾
Hydroelectric Power Generation
221111View →
Fossil Fuel Electric Power Generation
221112Report →
Nuclear Electric Power Generation
221113View →
Solar Electric Power Generation
221114Report →
Wind Electric Power Generation
221115View →
Geothermal Electric Power Generation
221116View →
Biomass Electric Power Generation
221117View →
Other Electric Power Generation
221118View →
Electric Bulk Power Transmission & Control
221121View →
Electric Power Distribution
221122View →

Industries

Browse deeper into the NAICS hierarchy.

221112 reports

Electric Power Generation

221120 reports

Electric Power Transmission, Control, & Distribution

Frequently Asked Questions

What is NAICS 2211? ▾
NAICS 2211 is the North American Industry Classification System code for Electric Power Generation, Transmission, and Distribution. It includes all establishments primarily engaged in the generation, transmission, and/or distribution of electric power to the public for sale. This encompasses utility companies of all ownership structures and independent power producers that supply electricity to end-use customers.
What are the main differences between generation, transmission, and distribution in the power industry? ▾
Generation refers to the production of electricity at power plants using various fuel sources or renewable energy. Transmission involves moving bulk power over long distances through high-voltage lines from generation facilities to population centers. Distribution is the local delivery of electricity from substations to individual customers through lower-voltage networks. Many utilities operate all three functions, though some regions have deregulated markets where these functions are separated among different companies.
How do utility rates get set and who regulates them? ▾
Utility rates for investor-owned utilities are regulated by state public utility commissions (PUCs), which review rate cases to ensure rates are just and reasonable while allowing utilities a fair return on investment. Publicly-owned utilities and cooperatives are governed by municipal or cooperative boards and are generally less regulated. The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) oversees wholesale power markets and interstate transmission, while NERC establishes reliability standards that all utilities must follow.
What is driving the shift toward renewable energy in the power generation industry? ▾
Multiple factors are driving renewable adoption including state-mandated renewable portfolio standards requiring utilities to source increasing percentages of power from renewables, federal tax credits and investment incentives, declining costs of solar and wind technology, and corporate sustainability commitments from large customers. Environmental regulations limiting carbon emissions from fossil fuel plants and evolving investor preferences for cleaner energy portfolios also incentivize the transition away from coal and toward renewables.
How does deregulation affect the electric power industry structure? ▾
In deregulated markets (primarily in portions of the Northeast, Mid-Atlantic, Texas, and California), the generation, transmission, and retail supply functions are separated into distinct competitive and regulated segments. Independent power producers compete to sell power into wholesale markets, and retail suppliers can offer competitive rates to customers. Transmission remains regulated and operated by regional transmission organizations. This contrasts with regulated vertically-integrated utilities that control all functions in most of the country.

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