Heat pushes US electricity demand to record peak in July, says EIA

Aug 5 (Reuters) - Electricity demand in the Lower 48 states hit fresh all-time highs on two days in the last week of July due to surging temperatures, the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) said on Tuesday.

Electricity demand in the U.S. climbed to a record 759,180 megawatts (MW) on July 29, following a peak of 758,053 MW the previous day, both surpassing the prior high set in July 2024, according to preliminary EIA data.

"We forecast U.S. electricity demand fulfilled by the electric power sector will grow at an annual rate of just over 2% in 2025 and 2026," the agency said.

EIA also noted that demand is expected to grow faster in regions planning to establish large data centers and manufacturing facilities such as Texas and Northern Virginia.