Abstract Since 1978, Liaoning province has experienced spectacular economic growth, which has led to more energy consumption. The purpose of this paper is to explore the decoupling status between energy consumption and economic growth in Liaoning Province. Firstly, the generalized LMDI method is used to explore the driving forces governing production energy consumption in Liaoning province. Then, the combination of Tapio decoupling indicator and generalized LMDI method is utilized to study what the decoupling status occurred in Liaoning Province and why the decoupling status appeared. During the study period, only four decoupling status occurred: expansive negative decoupling, expansive coupling, weak decoupling, and strong decoupling. The energy intensity decoupling effect played a positive role in the appearance of decoupling. However, the economic structure decoupling effect and investment decoupling effect played a negative role in the appearance of decoupling. Over the study period, the energy structure decoupling effect and labour decoupling effect played a relative small role in the appearance of decoupling.