EIA's November 2024 generator file leaves out 277 retired U.S. units that the months around it list

Description and use

The November 2024 EIA‑860M workbook omitted 277 retired generators, creating a gap in monthly changelogs. The issue lies with EIA’s file, not with the reader or PUDL archive.

Problem

The November 2024 EIA-860M workbook omitted 277 retired generators that appear in the October and December files, causing a gap in month‑to‑month changelogs.

Outcome

The November 2024 EIA-860M workbook omitted 277 retired generators, creating a gap in monthly changelogs; the issue lies with EIA’s file, not with the reader or PUDL archive.

Workflow

• 1. Downloaded October, November, December 2024 workbooks from PUDL archive and EIA archive (22 Oct 2026).
• 2. Compared byte‑by‑byte (size and MD5) to confirm identical copies.
• 3. Cross‑checked generator lists: 282 generators present in October but absent in November; 279 of those re‑appear in December.
• 4. Determined 277 of the 279 are retired (2002‑2014) and 2 moved from Planned to Operating.
• 5. Calculated total missing capacity (5,543.6 MW) and common types/states.
• 6. Concluded November file is incomplete; recommend using October or December for retired generator counts.

Evidence

All three pairs are byte-identical (same size and md5). The gap is in the November 2024 file EIA still serves.

Source

282 generators listed in October 2024 are not in November's file; 279 of them are listed again in December. None of the 279 is in EIA's November file.

Source

277 of the 279 are on the Retired sheet in October and December, retired between 2002 and 2014 (241 of them in 2011 to 2014). The other 2 go from Planned in October to Operating in December.

Source

EIA's EIA-860M page describes the Retired tab as a comprehensive list of generators retired since 2002, and says monthly estimates are corrected without notice in later months.

Source