U.S. electricity net generation reached a record in 2025, according to the Electricity Data Browser from U.S. Energy Information Administration. In 2025 the U.S. generated 4.43 terawatt hours of electricity, up 2.8 percent from 2024, which previously had been the highest annual total dating back to 1949.
This growth contrasts with the trend of relatively flat electricity generation between the mid-2000s and early 2020s. Net generation is related to electricity demand. Much of the recent growth in electricity demand comes from the commercial sector, which includes data centers, and the industrial sector, which includes manufacturing. In 2025 U.S. retail sales of electricity to ultimate customers, which is a key indicator of demand, increased compared with 2024 in all three sectors: residential (by 2.2 percent), commercial (by 2.9 percent) and industrial (by 0.7 percent).
EIA expects electricity generation, driven by higher demand, will continue to grow in 2026 and 2027.