SpaceX plans Texas power and computing complex with $24 billion initial investment
The company has requested a property tax abatement for the Starbase project, with city officials scheduled to consider it on December 9.
US power consumption set for new records through 2027, EIA says
The agency attributes rising demand largely to AI data centers, alongside greater use of electricity for heating and transportation.
The US Energy Information Administration projects electricity consumption of 4,306 billion kWh for 2026, followed by 4,370 billion kWh for 2027, setting annual records. In its November 10 Short-Term Energy Outlook, the agency identified AI data centers and electrification as drivers of the increase.
The forecast compares with record consumption of 4,216 billion kWh in 2025. Meeting the 2026 projection would extend the run of annual demand records to a third year. Homes and businesses are increasingly using electricity rather than fossil fuels for heating and transportation, the agency said.
For 2026, the EIA puts residential power sales at 1,546 billion kWh and commercial sales at 1,557 billion kWh. Both would exceed their 2025 records: 1,519 billion kWh and 1,503 billion kWh, respectively. Industrial sales are forecast at 1,061 billion kWh, below the 2000 peak of 1,064 billion kWh.
The generation mix is also expected to shift. Renewables would provide 25% in 2026 and 28% in 2027, up from around 24% in 2025. The EIA forecasts coal at 15% in each forecast year, down from 17%. Natural gas would stay at 40% for 2026 before slipping to 39% for 2027, while nuclear would remain at 18%.