U.S. electricity demand is on track to set records again in 2026 and 2027 as data centers tied to artificial intelligence and cryptocurrency mining, along with broader electrification of heating and transport, lift consumption. The U.S. Energy Information Administration said in its Aug. 11 Short-Term Energy Outlook that total power use is projected at 4.268 trillion kWh in 2026, up from 4.195 trillion kWh in 2025, and 4.391 trillion kWh in 2027. The agency also lowered its 2027 Texas load-growth forecast to 6% from 14% after Governor Greg Abbott announced a temporary halt on new data center development on Aug. 3. For 2026, residential electricity sales are seen slipping to 1.514 trillion kWh from the 2025 record of 1.515 trillion kWh, while commercial sales rise to 1.545 trillion kWh and industrial sales climb to 1.064 trillion kWh, matching the all-time high set in 2000. In the generation mix, natural gas is expected to hold a 40% share through 2027, renewables rise from about 24% in 2025 to 27% in 2027, coal falls from 17% to 15%, and nuclear remains at 18%. The outlook also points to lower residential and commercial natural gas sales in 2026, even as industrial and power-generation gas use increases, underscoring how electrification is shifting energy demand while gas-fired generation remains the main pillar of U.S. power supply.