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Electricity Consumption Set to Hit Records This Year and Next

William Attardi on July 8, 2026

US power consumption is expected to reach record highs in 2026 and 2027, driven by data centers and electrification, according to the Energy Information Administration. The EIA projects power demand will increase from a record 4,195 billion kWh in 2025 to 4,269 billion kWh in 2026 and 4,399 billion kWh in 2027, with the commercial sector outpacing residential demand for the first time. The EIA also projects renewable energy will account for 27% of generation by 2027, while coal’s share will drop to 15%. Reuters

NextEra, Dominion Merger Creates World’s Largest Utility

William Attardi on May 18, 2026

NextEra Energy will buy Dominion Energy in an all-stock deal valued at nearly $67 billion, uniting two leading players in the race to meet growing electricity demand from data centers that run artificial intelligence. NextEra Energy (NEE) to buy Dominion Energy (D)  The combination will create the world’s largest regulated electric utility business, fortified by North America’s premier energy infrastructure platform and developer. The combined company will be more than 80% regulated, serve approximately 10 million utility customer accounts across Florida, Virginia, North Carolina and South Carolina and own 110 gigawatts (GW) of generation across a broad mix of energy sources. The combined company will drive affordability in the long term by leveraging scale and operating and capital efficiencies as the company makes smart investments on behalf of its customers to meet growing power demand. Additionally, the combined company is proposing $2.25 billion in bill credits for Dominion Energy’s customers in Virginia, North Carolina and South Carolina spread over two years post-close.  Business News Today – tEDmag

Utilities Plan to Spend $1.4 Trillion Over Next Five Years to Power AI Boom by Jennifer Hiller

William Attardi on April 14, 2026

U.S. utilities are planning a historic investment spree to patch up an aging power grid and meet rising electricity demand for the artificial-intelligence boom. Capital spending plans for 51 investor-owned utilities have reached an estimated $1.4 trillion for the next five years, according to a new report from PowerLines, a consumer education group. That is up more than 20% from a year ago, when the companies planned to spend about $1.1 trillion over a five-year period. The record levels of capital investments are being driven by fresh demand on an aging electricity system that already needed upgrades. Unlike any prior customer, new AI data centers can consume the same amount of electricity as an entire city, with high demand around the clock. Beyond AI, many utilities are trying to keep up with growth in manufacturing, electric vehicles and residential markets, too. Utilities Plan to Spend $1.4 Trillion Over Next Five Years to Power AI Boom – WSJ

DOE Allots $171.5 Million to Expand US Geothermal Energy

William Attardi on February 27, 2026

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) announced a funding opportunity of $171.5 million to support next-generation geothermal field-scale tests for both electricity generation and exploration drilling to support characterization and potential confirmation of promising geothermal prospects. The activities enabled by this opportunity will help advance geothermal technology, innovation, and exploration, in turn supporting the potential for geothermal energy to provide affordable, reliable, around-the-clock domestic electricity to Americans nationwide. Although the United States leads the world in geothermal electricity capacity with about four gigawatts, DOE analysis shows the potential for at least 300 gigawatts of reliable, flexible geothermal power on the U.S. grid by 2050. DOE Allots $171.5 Million to Expand US Geothermal Energy – electrifiED

US to Own Nuclear Reactors Stemming from Japan’s $550 Billion Pledge

William Attardi on November 21, 2025

The US plans to purchase and own up to 10 nuclear reactors using Japan’s $550 billion funding commitment, part of a $332 billion investment in US energy projects. The initiative, driven by rising electricity demand for AI and manufacturing, is part of a broader strategy to accelerate the development of energy infrastructure. US to Own Nuclear Reactors Stemming From Japan’s $550 Billion Pledge – Bloomberg

US Power Use to Reach Record Highs in 2025 and 2026, EIA Says by Scott Disavino

William Attardi on October 8, 2025

US power consumption is expected to reach record highs in 2025 and 2026, according to the Energy Information Administration, driven by data centers for AI and cryptocurrency and increased electrification in homes and businesses. The EIA projects a decrease in natural gas’s share of power generation from 42% in 2024 to 40% in 2025 and 2026, while renewables are expected to rise from 23% to 26% over the same period. US power use to reach record highs in 2025 and 2026, EIA says | Reuters

Trump Touts Billions in Investments to Create AI Hub in Pennsylvania

William Attardi on July 16, 2025

Some of the world’s biggest companies pledged tens of billions of dollars to accelerate the development of artificial intelligence infrastructure in Pennsylvania, the latest splashy investments to draw praise from President Trump. Google said it would put $25 billion into data centers needed to train AI models and related infrastructure in Pennsylvania and the surrounding region over the next two years. Private-equity firm Blackstone promised another $25 billion. AI startup CoreWeave announced a $6 billion investment. Power companies FirstEnergy and Constellation Energy are part of a group pouring billions more into increasing electricity generation in the area, according to the White House.  Trump Touts Billions in Investments to Create AI Hub in Pennsylvania – WSJ

Underwater Turbine is a Breakthrough for Tidal Energy by Jennifer McDermott

William Attardi on July 16, 2025

Submerged in about 40 meters (44 yards) of water off Scotland’s coast, a turbine has been spinning for more than six years to harness the power of ocean tides for electricity — a durability mark that demonstrates the technology’s commercial viability. Keeping a large, or grid-scale, turbine in place in the harsh sea environment that long is a record that helps pave the way for bigger tidal energy farms and makes it far more appealing to investors, according to the trade association Ocean Energy Europe. Tidal energy projects would be prohibitively expensive if the turbines had to be taken out of the water for maintenance every couple of years. Tidal energy technologies are still in the early days of their commercial development, but their potential for generating clean energy is big. Achieving six years in the water with constant operations is a “very significant milestone” that bodes well for the future of tidal energ Underwater Turbine is a Breakthrough for Tidal Energy – electrifiED

More Electricity Needed Faster to Further National Energy Security, Says S&P Global Report by Kim Riley

William Attardi on March 14, 2025

The summary of the S. National Power Demand Study— which will be released in its entirety in the coming weeks — highlights the extent of the electricity demand growth facing the United States, and presents some of the tools that can be tapped to meet the moment in furtherance of national energy security. Electricity demand in America will surge by 35 percent to 50 percent between 2024 and 2040, primarily driven by AI data centers, new manufacturing activity, electric vehicles (EVs), space-heating electrification, and broad economic growth, according to the S&P Global study. A key finding is that the demand is growing faster than the supply of new energy solutions that could power it, creating an urgent need for faster policy action on permitting and grid interconnection and an all-of-the-above energy strategy within the sector, according to S&P Global.  More electricity needed faster to further national energy security, says S&P Global report – Daily Energy Insider

The Value of Dimming by Levin Nock

William Attardi on January 9, 2025

It’s easy to see the energy benefits of dimming: the more an LED fixture is dimmed, the less electricity it uses. In terms of future-proofing the energy savings of lighting projects, the longevity of LED products makes it paramount to strengthen requirements for dimmability and other lighting control strategies now, since LEDs installed today are expected to work for a decade or more. The latest version of the DesignLights Consortium’s (DLC) Solid-State Lighting (SSL)Technical Requirements stresses the importance of dimming as a way to increase energy savings, while allowing occupants of offices, conference rooms and other spaces to adjust light levels to their comfort or needs. All LEDs are inherently able to dim and nearly 100% of DLC-listed fixtures are dimmable. Expanded adoption is the necessary next step to capturing the benefits of dimming. The Value of Dimming | EC&M

Remembering the Solemn Purpose of Memorial Day

Memorial Day is a federal holiday in the United States observed on the last Monday in May to honor and mourn U.S. military personnel who died while serving in the armed forces. The holiday traces its roots to the years immediately following the American Civil War (1861–1865), which caused massive casualties—roughly 620,000 soldiers dead, about 2% of the U.S. population at the time. Communities across the North and South began spontaneously decorating the graves of fallen soldiers with flowers, wreaths, and flags, a practice that gave rise to the original name: Decoration Day. On May 5, 1868, Major General John A. Logan, commander-in-chief of the Grand Army of the Republic (GAR)—a powerful Union veterans’ organization—issued General Order No. 11. This proclaimed May 30, 1868, as a nationwide “Decoration Day” to honor those who died in the Civil War. After World War I, the holiday expanded to honor all American service members who died in any war, not just the Civil War.  In 1968, Congress passed the Uniform Monday Holiday Act to create more three-day weekends for federal employees. This moved Memorial Day to the last Monday in May, effective in 1971, when it was also officially named “Memorial Day.” As one 1868 quote put it: “That Nation which respects and honors its dead, shall ever be respected and honored itself.”