Electricity consumption in the US will reach historical records in 2026 and 2027, with growth supported mainly by data centers serving artificial intelligence systems, as well as the continued electrification of the US economy. This is shown by the latest short-term energy forecast of the US Energy Information Administration (EIA), cited by Reuters.
The EIA predicts that electricity demand will grow from a record 4.195 trillion kilowatt hours (kWh) in 2025 to 4.288 trillion kWh in 2026, and in 2027 it will reach a new peak of 4.356 trillion kWh.
One of the main drivers of the increase is the data centers needed for the development and use of artificial intelligence technologies, as well as the infrastructure related to cryptocurrencies.
At the same time, households and businesses in the US are increasingly using electricity and less fossil fuels for heating and transportation, which further increases the load on the electricity system.
Businesses will overtake households in consumption
According to the EIA forecast, in 2026, electricity sales to residential consumers will reach 1.541 trillion kWh.
For commercial consumers, the category that includes most data centers, the amount will reach 1.549 trillion kWh, while for industrial customers 1.055 trillion kWh is expected.
For comparison, in 2025, household consumption reached a historical maximum of 1.515 trillion kWh, and for commercial consumers - 1.493 trillion kWh.
For industry, the historical record remains significantly older - 1.064 trillion kWh in 2000.
Thus, the forecast shows that in 2026 the commercial sector could overtake households in electricity sales - a trend that reflects the growing importance of digital infrastructure and data centers.
Renewable energy increases its share
The increase in consumption will also be accompanied by a change in the structure of electricity production in the United States.
EIA expects the share of renewable energy sources to grow from about 24% in 2025 to 25% in 2026, and to reach 27% in 2027.
In contrast, nuclear power will maintain a relatively constant share. Nuclear power is projected to provide about 18% of electricity generation in 2026 and 2027, the same share as in 2025.
The data shows how quickly the development of artificial intelligence and the associated infrastructure are beginning to change the American energy market. Data centers are becoming a significant source of new demand at a time when, in parallel, electrification is gradually increasing electricity use by households and businesses.