What are the projected U.S. electricity consumption levels for 2026 and 2027, and what is driving this increase?

The U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) projects electricity consumption will rise from a record 4,195 billion kilowatt-hours (kWh) in 2025 to 4,271 billion kWh in 2026 and 4,397 billion kWh in 2027. This growth is driven primarily by AI-hungry data centers, cryptocurrency operations, and broader electrification of homes and businesses—especially for heating and transportation—shifting demand away from fossil fuels toward electricity.

How is the composition of U.S. electricity generation expected to change between 2025 and 2027, according to the EIA?

According to the EIA’s Short-Term Energy Outlook, coal’s share of U.S. power generation will decline from 17% in 2025 to 16% in 2026 and 15% in 2027; natural gas will hold steady at 40% across all three years; renewables will increase from ~24% in 2025 to 25% in 2026 and 27% in 2027; and nuclear power will remain unchanged at 18% in 2026 and 2027, matching its 2025 share.

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EIA forecasts U.S. power consumption will hit record highs in 2026 and 2027 due to AI data centers and electrification, rising to 4,397 billion kWh by 2027.

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US power use to beat record highs in 2026 and 2027 as AI use surges, EIA says

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