Solar surged, coal fell and electricity demand inched higher in the first quarter of 2026.
The findings, seen in new data from the U.S. Energy Information Administration, come at a time when rising electricity demand associated with artificial intelligence and data centers is at the forefront of policy discussions in Washington and state capitals across the country.
But the numbers show that the weather — not power-hungry data centers — remains the largest driver of trends in the electric sector. Despite weeks of bone-chilling cold in the Northeast and Midwest, the continental U.S. experienced the second-warmest winter on record between December and February. That was followed by the warmest March on record.
Warm winter temperatures are a recipe for lower electricity demand. Nationally, first quarter demand grew 1 percent compared to the same time last year — a much smaller increase than the 5 percent rise in the first quarter of 2025.
