The electricity system is undergoing a period of growth and change. The most recent US Department of Energy (DOE) Energy Information Administration Short Term Energy Outlook continues to reflect increases in load and generation. For the first time since 2007 power demand in the US is forecast to grow, by 1 percent in 2026 and 3 percent in 2027, driven by large data center development. Generation increases by similar amounts, with growth of 1.1 percent in 2026 and 2.6 percent in 2027. The fastest growth in electricity generation is from solar energy development, with a 46 percent increase in generation, from 290 billion kWh in 2025 to 424 billion kWh in 2027, and a 49 percent increase in capacity of 70 GW. Similarly, a Deloitte analysis found that renewable energy was the dominant source of capacity growth in the US in 2025, accounting for 93 percent of additions through September 2025, the vast majority from solar and storage. The largest regions for net power generation growth are Texas and the mid‐Atlantic. In the long term, electricity demand is expected to continue to increase as transportation, industry, and residential and commercial heating are electrified.
Elizabeth L. Zeitler (Wed,) studied this question.