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AI-driven data centers push U.S. electricity demand to new highs

The U.S. is projected to consume 4,269 billion kWh of electricity in 2026 and 4,399 billion kWh in 2027, with data centers driving most of the long-term growth, according to the EIA and clean energy research cited by OilPrice.

Reported · Written up by our desk · Energy

U.S. electricity consumption hit a new record high last year and is set to keep rising toward new all-time peaks this year and next, as the AI boom shifts the country away from a decade of largely stagnant power use, OilPrice reports. The article attributes much of the acceleration to AI-related data centers, calling them a dominant driver of long-term U.S. electricity growth, while also noting that electrification trends contribute to higher demand. On the supply side, generation is climbing to record levels as total U.S. electricity supply reached 2,234 terawatt hours (TWh) in the first half of 2026, up 3% year over year, according to data from clean energy think tank Ember analyzed by Reuters columnist Gavin Maguire, as cited by OilPrice. OilPrice also highlights projections from the U.S. Energy Information Administration, which expects total electricity use to rise from a record 4,195 billion kilowatt-hours (kWh) in 2025 to 4,269 billion kWh in 2026 and 4,399 billion kWh in 2027, with natural gas remaining the mainstay of the power mix even as renewable capacity expands.

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