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Commercial Sector Main Driver of US Power Consumption Growth, EIA Data Show

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US power consumption will continue to grow at a steady pace through 2027, according to a forecast from the Energy Information Administration on Tuesday.

The EIA dataset shows almost uninterrupted growth in power consumption since 2020. Reuters reported that US power consumption hit a record in 2024 and 2025. EIA data shows that streak will continue uninterrupted this year and next.

The news agency said that the main driver of power consumption growth is the roll-out of data centers to meet growing demand for AI.

That is reflected in EIA data by the fact that residential consumption is forecast to remain fairly stable with most growth coming from the commercial sector which will use 1,545 billion KWh this year and a forecast 1,609 KWh in the next.

Total consumption this year is forecast to rise to 4,268 billion kilowatt hours, versus 2025's 4,195 billion. In 2027, the forecast is for 4,391 billion.

Small-scale solar will continue its growth, with residential installations the mainstay of US photovoltaic generation. Solar is estimated to generate 105 billion KWh in 2026 up from 2025's 93 billion. In 2027, output will grow to 114 billion KWh.

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