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U.S. Power Demand Surges Past 4,300 BkWh, Renewables Grow

7/8/2026

Summary

Story summary

The Energy Information Administration projects U.S. electricity consumption will exceed 4,300 billion kilowatt-hours by 2027.
Demand growth is driven by AI-powered data centers and rising electricity use for heating and transport.
Commercial electricity sales are forecast at 1,550 billion kWh in 2026, surpassing residential consumption for the first time.
Coal’s share of generation is expected to fall to 15% while renewables rise to 25% in 2026 and 27% in 2027.

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Story summary

The Energy Information Administration projects U.S. electricity consumption will exceed 4,300 billion kilowatt-hours by 2027.
Demand growth is driven by AI-powered data centers and rising electricity use for heating and transport.
Commercial electricity sales are forecast at 1,550 billion kWh in 2026, surpassing residential consumption for the first time.
Coal’s share of generation is expected to fall to 15% while renewables rise to 25% in 2026 and 27% in 2027.