Surge In Proposals For New U.S. Power Plants, Mostly Non-Fossil Fuel

As utilities rush to meet increasing electricity demands, the United States has seen a significant rise in proposals for new power plants, with renewable energy sources dominating the plans, David R. Baker reported for Bloomberg News.

The combined capacity of proposed plants seeking grid connection has surged nearly 90% over the last three years, reaching almost 2,600 gigawatts in 2023.

According to a study from Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, the combined capacity of proposed plants seeking grid connection has surged nearly 90% over the last three years, reaching almost 2,600 gigawatts in 2023.

Solar power and large-scale batteries make up over 80% of the proposed capacity, contrasting sharply with the mere 3% represented by fossil fuel-based plants. However, the study cautioned that historically, only a fraction of proposed projects actually materialize.

With electricity demand expected to rise significantly due to factors like the proliferation of electric vehicles and data centers, there's a growing need for diverse energy sources to meet these demands.