The U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) reports energy consumption in the United States will reach record levels for the rest of this year and in 2026.
The administration projected power demand will rise to 4,189 billion kilowatt hours this year, and jump to 4,278 billion kilowatt hours in 2026. In 2024, the U.S. set a new record with 4,097 billion kilowatt hours.
The administration says AI and data centers are a significant part of the increased demand, but demand for power in the residential and industrial areas is also rising this year. The administration’s outlook says power generation from renewable sources will increase by 1% over the next two years, while nuclear power generation will decrease during the same time period. The share of power generation from natural gas will drop 2% over the next two years.
The EIA also expects wholesale power prices to increase by 12% this summer over last year, adding heat waves could make that percentage even higher.
Tagged with EIA, Energy Information Administration