Key information
- Electricity generation from natural gas in the United States reached a record level this summer, surpassing 7 million megawatt hours (MWh) of electricity.
- Nine of the ten days with the highest natural gas power generation occurred in the summer of 2024, including six in August.
- Record natural gas production was observed not only for individual days, but also for the entire summer and year-to-date.
This summer, electricity generation from natural gas in the United States reached unprecedented levels. Factors contributing to this record level include low natural gas prices, the impact of warmer weather conditions and the increase in new power generation capacity.
On August 2, U.S. natural gas-fired power plants produced more than 7 million megawatt hours (MWh) of electricity, surpassing the previous summer’s record set on July 28, 2023, by 6.8 percent. nine of the ten days with the highest natural gas power generation occurred in the summer of 2024, including six in August.
Key trends and statistics
Overall electricity production for summer 2024 (June to August) increased by 3 percent compared to the previous year. Likewise, the daily average of electricity generation from natural gas this summer increased 3 percent year-over-year, reaching 5.9 million MWh, according to the U.S. Energy Administration’s Hourly Electric Grid Monitor. energy information, which allows you to track electricity consumption down to the hour.
This shift toward natural gas is attributed to several factors, including increasing reliance on renewable energy sources and the need to balance their intermittent nature. As renewable energy capacity grows, natural gas plays a crucial role in providing a steady electricity supply, alongside wind and solar power.
Natural gas production since the beginning of the year
Looking at the bigger picture, U.S. power producers have produced record amounts of electricity from natural gas since the start of the year. Between January and September, they produced 55.6 million MWh, an increase of 5 percent compared to the same period last year, marking the highest level since at least 2021. This rise in demand is attributed to the increasing electrification of various sectors, including data centers which require a large amount of energy to operate and cool.
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