EIA expects significant increases in wholesale electricity prices this summer
In our latest Short-Term Energy Outlook (STEO), we expect prices this summer in wholesale electricity markets will significantly increase over last summer’s prices. We forecast that electricity prices in the Northeast regions (ISO New England, New York ISO, and PJM markets) will exceed $100 per megawatthour (MWh) between June and August 2022, up from an […]
EIA expects high refinery margins to contribute to increasing fuel production this summer
In our June 2022 Short-Term Energy Outlook (STEO), we forecast that U.S. refinery utilization will be relatively high this summer in response to strong wholesale prices for petroleum products, such as diesel and gasoline, which have increased more than the price of the crude oil used to make them.
EIA expects U.S. natural gas prices to remain high through 2022
In our June 2022 Short-Term Energy Outlook (STEO), we forecast that U.S. natural gas spot prices will increase again this month and then remain high through the rest of 2022. Natural gas spot prices at the U.S. Henry Hub benchmark in Louisiana averaged $8.14 per million British thermal units (MMBtu) in May 2022, and we […]
EIA explores effects of weather projections on energy consumption in buildings
Nearly half of the energy consumed in U.S. buildings in 2021 was used for heating and cooling, according to modeled estimates in our Annual Energy Outlook 2022 (AEO2022) Reference case. An Issues in Focus analysis on alternative weather assumptions highlights how different long-term weather projections affect space heating and space cooling demand in the U.S. […]
U.S. liquefied natural gas exports to Europe increased during the first 4 months of 2022
During the first four months of 2022, the United States exported 74% of its liquefied natural gas (LNG) to Europe, compared with an annual average of 34% last year, according to our recently released Natural Gas Monthly and EIA estimates for April 2022. In 2020 and 2021, Asia had been the main destination for U.S. […]
Record U.S. natural gas demand this winter led to largest storage withdrawal in four years
Net withdrawals of natural gas from U.S. storage totaled 2,264 billion cubic feet (Bcf) this winter (November through March). This amount is the most natural gas withdrawn from storage since the winter of 2017–18 and 10% more than the previous five-year (2016–17 to 2021–22) average, according our recently released Natural Gas Monthly, which includes data […]
NERC assessment highlights potential electricity reliability concern for central U.S.
Higher electricity demand forecasts and potential supply reductions are raising concerns about tight reserve margins in the Midcontinent Independent System Operator (MISO) balancing authority this summer. Working in conjunction with regional utility service providers, balancing authorities are responsible for ensuring that wholesale electric power markets provide sufficient electric generation capacity to meet consumer demand, both […]
Natural gas production in the Permian Basin reached an annual high in 2021
Marketed natural gas production from the Permian Basin in western Texas and eastern New Mexico reached a new annual high of 16.7 billion cubic feet per day (Bcf/d) in 2021. Annual marketed natural gas production in the Permian Basin has been rising steadily since 2012.
California drought could reduce hydroelectric generation to half of normal levels
As part of a supplement to our Short-Term Energy Outlook, we analyzed how drought conditions could affect hydroelectric generation in California this summer. California hydroelectric generation would be 48% less this summer in an alternative case that assumes drought conditions compared with a case that assumes relatively normal water conditions. This shortfall would need to […]
Nearly 90% of U.S. households used air conditioning in 2020
According to the most recent results from the 2020 Residential Energy Consumption Survey, 88% of U.S. households use air conditioning (AC). Two-thirds of U.S. households use central AC or a central heat pump as their main AC equipment.