Today in Energy

Electricity generation from units that primarily consume natural gas in the U.S. Lower 48 states has increased for all hours of the day since 2021, according to data reported on Form EIA-930, Hourly and Daily Balancing Authority Operations Report.

U.S. distillate consumption so far this year is lower than usual because of warm winter weather, reduced manufacturing activity, and continued substitution of biofuels in place of petroleum distillate on the U.S. West Coast (PADD 5).

U.S. coal used for the steelmaking process has sold for more than double the price of U.S. coal used as a fuel for electricity generation in six of the last seven years, underscoring a historical trend. U.S. metallurgical coal, used primarily as a raw material in the steelmaking process, historically has sold into export markets at prices higher than those for U.S. thermal coal, a major fuel for electricity generation. From 2001 to 2023, U.S. metallurgical coal sold at an average premium of 90% to the price of thermal coal.

In 2023, 89.1 billion cubic feet per day (Bcf/d) of natural gas was consumed in the United States, the most on record. Since 2018, U.S. natural gas consumption has increased by an average of 4% annually.

In 2023, U.S. residential electricity bills increased by 2% each month compared with 2022. That growth rate was slower than inflation, which was 4.1% in 2023. Over the past decade, residential electricity prices have increased more slowly than overall inflation.