The Energy Information Administration released its Annual Energy Outlook 2026, projecting rising power demand from data centers and more electric capacity by 2050.
The U.S. Energy Information Administration has released its Annual Energy Outlook 2026, a long-term forecast for energy markets through 2050.
The agency said the new outlook includes 11 modeled cases and shows data center load emerging as a major driver of U.S. electricity growth. EIA said installed electric generating capacity rises by 50% to 90% by 2050 across the cases it examined.
Even with economic growth, the agency said end-use energy consumption is relatively flat or slightly lower in most scenarios through 2050. That means the biggest shift in the outlook is not a broad surge in total energy use, but a change in where demand is concentrated.
The release comes as utilities, grid operators and developers continue to plan for larger power needs tied to digital infrastructure and wider electricity use across the economy. The EIA’s outlook is intended to provide a set of possible futures rather than a single forecast.
The agency published the outlook and related tables on April 8, 2026, alongside a press release summarizing the main findings.
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