Recent cold snap results in fourth-largest withdrawal from underground natural gas storage
Colder-than-normal temperatures across much of the United States in mid-January increased natural gas consumption, resulting in the fourth-largest reported weekly withdrawal from natural gas storage in the Lower 48 states, according to our Weekly Natural Gas Storage Report (WNGSR). During the week ending January 24, 2025, stocks fell by 321 billion cubic feet (Bcf), which […]
Natural gas-fired power plants have different owner types
Natural gas-fired generating plants in the United States can be categorized by different ownership type, which can influence where individual plants are located, as well as how they operate and even the way fuel is purchased. Those different owners, through the investments they have made, have been instrumental in making natural gas the single-largest source […]
Rarely used oil, coal helped power New England during recent cold snap
Below average temperatures in the eastern United States during the week of January 19, 2025, resulted in high demand for electricity. On January 21 at 6:00 p.m. eastern time, ISO-New England (ISO-NE), the organization operating an integrated grid in Maine, Vermont, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut, recorded peak hourly demand of 19,600 megawatts […]
U.S. coal exports reached a six-year record in June 2024
Gross U.S. coal exports in June 2024 totaled 10 million short tons, the most in a month since October 2018, data from our Short-Term Energy Outlook data browser show. Annual average U.S. coal exports were 9.0 million short tons in 2024. U.S. coal exports have increased each year since 2020, when they averaged 5.8 million […]
Natural gas spot prices fell across key regional trading hubs in 2024
Average natural gas spot prices at most major trading hubs in the Lower 48 states declined in 2024 compared with 2023 in real terms, according to data from Natural Gas Intelligence.
U.S. nuclear generators import nearly all the uranium concentrate they use
In 2023, U.S. nuclear generators used 32 million pounds of imported uranium concentrate (U3O8) and only 0.05 million pounds of domestically produced U3O8. Imports accounted for 99% of the U3O8 they used in 2023 to make nuclear fuel. Foreign producers predominantly supply the U.S. front-end nuclear fuel cycle, but federal policies have been implemented recently […]
U.S. propane prices have traded higher so far this winter compared with last winter
U.S. wholesale and retail propane prices have been higher so far this winter heating season (October–March) than during the same period a year ago, largely because of colder weather in January and higher exports, according to data from our State Heating Oil and Propane Program. Prices have been higher despite relatively strong propane inventories heading […]
Electric power sector has driven rising Pennsylvania natural gas consumption since 2013
Natural gas-fired electric power generation has increased in Pennsylvania since 2013 as the state has shifted toward natural gas as its main fuel source for electric power generation. In October 2024, natural gas-fired generation accounted for 57% of the electricity generated in Pennsylvania, more than twice the share in October 2013 (26%). Over the past […]
New solar plants expected to support most U.S. electric generation growth
In our latest Short-Term Energy Outlook (STEO), we expect that U.S. renewable capacity additions�especially solar�will continue to drive the growth of U.S. power generation over the next two years. We expect U.S. utilities and independent power producers will add 26 gigawatts (GW) of solar capacity to the U.S. electric power sector in 2025 and 22 […]
Forecast wholesale power prices and retail electricity prices rise modestly in 2025
In our January Short-Term Energy Outlook (STEO), we expect that U.S. wholesale power prices will average slightly higher in 2025 in most U.S. regions than last year, except in Texas and in the Northwest. We forecast that the 11 wholesale prices we track in STEO will average $40 per megawatthour (MWh) in 2025 (weighted by […]
