U.S. natural gas generation sees its first year-over-year decline in three years In the first four months of 2021, natural gas-fired generation in the lower 48 states has decreased by nearly 7% from the same period in 2020, said the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) in a statement yesterday. This decline in natural gas generation during the first four months of this year is the result of higher natural gas prices and increased competition from renewables and it is the first year-over-year decline since 2017," said the report. "Overall, U.S. electricity generation during the period increased 6.6% compared with 2020 because of colder winter weather."