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US power use forecast to reach record highs in 2024 and 2025

U.S. power usage will increase to record highs in 2024 and 2025, the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) said in its Short-term Energy Outlook ( STEO) on Tuesday.

EIA projected power demand will rise to 4,096 billion kilowatt-hours (kWh) in 2024 and 4,125 billion kWh in 2025.

That compares with 4,000 billion kWh in 2023 and a record 4,067 billion kWh in 2022.

As homes and businesses use more electrical energy rather of fossil fuels for heat and transportation, EIA forecast 2024 power sales would increase to 1,506 billion kWh for domestic customers, 1,389 billion kWh for commercial consumers and 1,047 billion kWh for commercial customers.

That compares with all-time highs of 1,509 billion kWh for domestic customers in 2022, 1,391 billion kWh in 2022 for business consumers and 1,064 billion kWh in 2000 for industrial customers.

EIA said gas' share of power generation would hold at 42% in 2024, the same as 2023, before relieving to 41% in 2025. Coal's share will drop from 17% in 2023 to 15% in 2024 and 14%. in 2025 as renewable output increases.

The percentage of renewable generation will increase from 21% in. 2023 to 24% in 2024 and 25% in 2025, while nuclear power's share. will hold at 19% in 2023, 2024 and 2025.

EIA projected 2024 gas sales would rise to 12.57 billion. cubic feet per day (bcfd) for domestic customers, 9.34 bcfd. for commercial customers and 35.88 bcfd for power generation,. but slide to 23.22 bcfd for industrial customers.

That compares with all-time highs of 14.32 bcfd in 1996. for domestic customers, 9.63 bcfd in 2018 for industrial. customers, 23.80 bcfd in 1973 for commercial clients and 35.43. bcfd in 2023 for power generation.

(source: Reuters)