Fire up the AC: Sweltering US. sets new electricity consumption record
Americans cranking up their air conditioners, fans and swamp coolers over a single hour in late July consumed more electricity than ever before as sweltering heat spread from the Midwest to the East Coast.
The federal Energy Information Administration said that from 7 to 8 p.m. Eastern on July 28, Americans consumed 758,149 megawatt-hours of electricity – a new national record. And while the numbers are subject to change, the EIA said on July 29, Americans might consume even more power.
An average American home consumes about 10,791 kilowatt hours of electricity annually, meaning the energy consumed on July 28 would be enough to power a single house for 70,000 years.
The demand for electricity came as large, heavily populated parts of the United States suffered under high heat that could linger until the weekend.
All that power came from a mix of sources, although natural gas remains the backbone of our electricity supply, providing 45% of the total, according to the EIA. Coal is the next-largest source, at 17%, while nuclear represented 13%. Solar accounted for 11%, while wind and hydropower each provided 5%.
The previous hourly demand record for the continental United States was 745,020 megawatt-hours on July 15, 2024, the EIA said.
The United States has been consuming more electricity per person as an increasing number of homes have air conditioners, along with demands from AI computer centers. The EIA noted that electricity consumption had been relatively flat from 2010 to 2020 as increased efficiency offset population growth, but demand has been rising since then.
President Donald Trump has made driving down energy prices a key part of his administration's initiatives, and has called for significant increases in natural gas and oil drilling, along with the expansion of coal-fired power plants. His administration has proposed relaxing emission standards for coal-fired power plants, which could potentially lower generating costs.
Where you live in the United States plays a significant role in how much you pay for electricity: On average, Utahns pay the lowest electric bills, at about $95 a month, whereas, in Connecticut, the average monthly bill is $218, according to SaveOnEnergy.com, a Texas-based electricity broker.
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