US utilities to face significant challenge as power demand surges for the first time in decades

LONDON and HOUSTON and SINGAPORE, Oct 18 (Bernama) -- US power demand has remained essentially flat for the past decade, but this is all about to change as a pending surge in demand growth will be the biggest challenge for utility companies in decades, according to the latest Horizons report from Wood Mackenzie.

According to the report, “Gridlock: the demand dilemma facing the US power industry” US electricity demand growth will be between 4% and 15% through 2029, depending on the region, with burgeoning data-centre development, a resurgence in energy-intensive US manufacturing, and greater transport and heating electrification driving electricity demand growth not seen since the 1990s. Demand growth rates for individual utilities may be much higher as the demand being added to the grid is not evenly spread and one large load can have a significant impact on the growth of individual utilities.