Heat Waves — U.S. Electricity Peak Demand Set New Records Twice in July - CleanTechnica

In late July 2025, electricity demand in the contiguous United States reached record highs on two consecutive days, driven primarily by intense heat waves that increased cooling needs. On July 28, the coincident peak demand hit 758,053 megawatts (MW) between 6:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. Eastern Time, followed by an even higher peak of 759,180 MW on July 29. This latter figure surpassed the previous record set on July 15, 2024, which was 745,020 MW, marking a 1.9% increase. The U.S. Energy Information Administration forecasts that electricity demand served by the power sector will grow at just over 2% annually through 2025 and 2026. Growth is expected to be particularly strong in regions with expanding data centers and manufacturing, such as Texas and Northern Virginia. The reported coincident peak demand reflects a simultaneous snapshot across the entire Lower 48 states, though