LED light bulbs, which offer greater energy efficiency, lifespan, and cost efficiency than either traditional incandescent bulbs or CFL bulbs, are increasingly dominating the lighting in U.S. homes. A recent U.S. Energy Information Administration survey  found that 90% of U.S. homes reported using at least some LED bulbs, and that 37% of households used only LED bulbs. About 5% of households reported using only incandescent bulbs, and just 2% used CFL bulbs. The share of hous

The amount of new electric generating capacity forecast to be added to utility grids across the U.S. in 2026 is expected to set another record, a new report indicates. Power plant operators plan to add 86 gigawatts (GW) of utility-scale generation in the coming year, the U.S. Energy Information Administration  (EIA) recently reported in its Preliminary Monthly Electric Generator Inventory  report. The standing record was set in 2025, when 53 GW of new capacity was added, the

As the demand for power keeps rising with the rapid development of AI data centers, natural gas is increasingly being seen as the leading source of fuel for electric generation. A recent report from Global Energy Monitor , an organization that develops and analyzes data on energy infrastructure and uses with the goal of building a sustainable energy future, found that the U.S. now has the most gas-fired power capacity being developed and accounts for nearly one-quarter of the

Electricity rates across the PJM regional grid have risen sharply over the past eight years, and Pennsylvania customers have seen the biggest increase, a recent report found. The research brief by the state Independent Fiscal Office  (IFO) determined that average prices for Pennsylvania residents increased by 46.1% between 2018 and 2025, compared to 40.1% for Ohio, 39.1% for Virginia and 41% for all other Mid-Atlantic states in the PJM region. Pennsylvania’s average electrici

Electric bills will continue to climb for customers in the PJM Interconnection regional electric grid after the most recent auction for future electricity totaled a record $16.4 billion due to rapidly rising demand for power. The grid operator for the 13-state Mid-Atlantic region, including Pennsylvania, has been struggling in recent years to meet rapidly rising demand and modernize its rules to bring new power supplies online quickly. Much of the increase in demand is due t

While all areas of the U.S. are expected to have adequate power supplies this winter under normal conditions, the North American Electric Reliability Corp. (NERC) warned that several regions could face shortfall risks and blackouts during more extreme weather events. NERC, which oversees the security and reliability of the nation’s electric grid, recently released its annual winter reliability assessment . The report said that two trends affecting the electric supply are risi

A growing number of U.S. homes are being heated with electricity, reflecting trends in technology and policy and shifts in where people are choosing to live. A recent U.S. Energy Information Administration analysis  found that 42% of households were using electricity as their main heating fuel in 2024, up from 35% in 2010. At the same time, natural gas, which is the dominant heating fuel, still is used in 47% of homes, down from 49% in 2010. The heating data came from the U.S