Electric Consumer

Editor: Katerine G., Editor & Data Researcher · Research & publishing: Electric Consumer Editorial Team · Data retrieved · Sources named on this page: EIA-861, EIA retail sales, EIA Short-Term Energy Outlook · How we got these numbers · Report an error

Data centers and electricity prices by state

4.4%of U.S. electricity went to data centers in 2023 (LBNL); up to 12% projected for 2028

U.S. data centers used about 176 TWh in 2023, 4.4% of U.S. electricity, and LBNL projects 325 to 580 TWh (6.7% to 12.0%) by 2028. No open source publishes data-center electricity by state, so we use commercial-sector sales, where most data centers are billed, as a proxy: North Dakota grew 64% from 2019 to 2025 and Virginia added 30 TWh. The ten fastest-growing states saw home prices rise 26% over the same years, the ten slowest 40% (nominal). That is correlation across states, not proof that data centers raise or lower prices.

Find your state

Pick a state to see where it ranks.

Growth of commercial electricity sales, 2019 to 2025, by stateNew Mexico: +3%Texas: +22%Kentucky: +5%Ohio: +26%Georgia: +20%Arkansas: -0%Oregon: +55%Pennsylvania: +0%Missouri: +1%North Carolina: +2%Utah: +24%Virginia: +55%Wyoming: +59%West Virginia: +6%New York: -4%Indiana: +8%Kansas: +2%Idaho: +9%Nevada: +21%Illinois: -6%Vermont: +2%New Jersey: -4%Minnesota: +1%Maryland: -5%Iowa: +8%Hawaii: -8%New Hampshire: -3%Rhode Island: -1%Connecticut: -6%Montana: +4%Arizona: +28%Nebraska: +55%Washington: +15%South Dakota: +8%California: -1%Alabama: -0%Wisconsin: +1%Mississippi: +1%Colorado: -1%Oklahoma: +38%Tennessee: +1%Louisiana: -2%Michigan: -1%Massachusetts: -3%Florida: +4%Alaska: +1%North Dakota: +64%South Carolina: +22%Maine: -3%Delaware: -3%District of Columbia: -9%
  • -9% to -3%
  • -3% to +1%
  • +1% to +5%
  • +5% to +22%
  • +22% to +64%

Commercial-sector sales, not data centers alone. Click a state for its page.

The national picture

LBNL estimates data centers used about 76 TWh in 2018 (1.9% of U.S. electricity) and 176 TWh in 2023. Annual growth was about 18% from 2018 to 2023, and the 2028 range of 325 to 580 TWh equals 74 to 132 GW of average demand.

TWh per year

  • 2014-2016 (about)60
  • 2018 (about)76
  • 2023176
  • 2028 low case325
  • 2028 high case580

U.S. data center electricity use, TWh: LBNL 2024 United States Data Center Energy Usage Report, Dec 2024.

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What EIA and the grid operators say

  • EIA's September 2026 Short-Term Energy Outlook has total U.S. retail sales at 4,058 billion kWh in 2025, 4,135 in 2026 and 4,211 in 2027, with commercial sales growing 3.3% in 2026 and 2.7% in 2027. It names data center development and manufacturing as the drivers. For 2026 the commercial sector is 63% of the growth in sales.
  • EIA (Today in Energy, 5 May 2026) reports Virginia commercial sales up by nearly 30 million MWh from 2019 to 2025, much faster than any state except Texas. The Dominion zone summer peak reached 23,905 MW in 2025, 23% above 2019. Our own figure from the same sales series: +29.6 TWh.
  • PJM's 2026 forecast adds 6,403 MW of large-load adjustments to the summer peak in 2026, 33,707 MW in 2030 and 67,370 MW in 2036, in table B-9; the Dominion zone alone is 20,451 MW in 2036.

Commercial sales growth, 51 states

growth of commercial electricity sales 2019 to 2025, %

  1. 1North Dakota+64%
  2. 2Wyoming+59%
  3. 3Oregon+55%
  4. 4Nebraska+55%
  5. 5Virginia+55%
  6. 6Oklahoma+38%
  7. 7Arizona+28%
  8. 8Ohio+26%
  9. 9Utah+24%
  10. 10Texas+22%
  11. 11South Carolina+22%
  12. 12Nevada+21%
  13. 13Georgia+20%
  14. 14Washington+15%
  15. 15Idaho+9%
  16. 16Indiana+8%
  17. 17South Dakota+8%
  18. 18Iowa+8%
  19. 19West Virginia+6%
  20. 20Kentucky+5%
  21. 21Florida+4%
  22. 22Montana+4%
  23. 23New Mexico+3%
  24. 24Vermont+2%
  25. 25North Carolina+2%
  26. 26Kansas+2%
  27. 27Wisconsin+1%
  28. 28Minnesota+1%
  29. 29Tennessee+1%
  30. 30Mississippi+1%
  31. 31Missouri+1%
  32. 32Alaska+1%
  33. 33Pennsylvania+0%
  34. 34Alabama-0%
  35. 35Arkansas-0%
  36. 36California-1%
  37. 37Rhode Island-1%
  38. 38Michigan-1%
  39. 39Colorado-1%
  40. 40Louisiana-2%
  41. 41Maine-3%
  42. 42Massachusetts-3%
  43. 43New Hampshire-3%
  44. 44Delaware-3%
  45. 45New Jersey-4%
  46. 46New York-4%
  47. 47Maryland-5%
  48. 48Connecticut-6%
  49. 49Illinois-6%
  50. 50Hawaii-8%
  51. 51District of Columbia-9%

By state, sortable

Commercial electricity sales growth and price change by state
Alabama23.123.0-0.3-0.1+1.3+28.5+28.42616.10
Alaska2.62.7+0.6+0.0+5.1+13.8+14.04326.09
Arizona29.437.5+27.6+8.1+17.5+23.3+23.34115.32
Arkansas11.911.9-0.4-0.0+10.1+31.0+19.72212.84
California114.3113.5-0.7-0.8-5.0+69.9+63.64832.54
Colorado21.120.8-1.3-0.3+0.3+30.1+25.63715.85
Connecticut12.211.5-5.6-0.7-1.2+34.3+37.64229.38
Delaware4.44.3-3.3-0.1+1.0+36.5+34.93717.13
District of Columbia8.07.2-9.2-0.7-7.2+69.0+65.87321.94
Florida96.6100.6+4.1+4.0+7.3+30.3+27.83915.24
Georgia47.456.9+20.1+9.5+10.3+25.3+22.03714.73
Hawaii3.12.8-7.9-0.2-3.3+26.6+24.43140.59
Idaho6.47.0+9.1+0.6+11.7+19.5+23.42611.82
Illinois49.346.3-5.9-2.9-2.1+35.8+43.73417.69
Indiana23.525.5+8.5+2.0+1.4+29.0+26.82516.23
Iowa12.313.3+8.1+1.0+14.7+10.1+7.52313.72
Kansas15.916.2+1.8+0.3+2.0+14.6+12.33914.56
Kentucky19.620.6+4.9+1.0+0.8+22.6+22.52713.24
Louisiana24.323.9-1.6-0.4+5.3+28.3+23.22412.57
Maine4.14.0-2.9-0.1-5.9+55.3+62.53627.78
Maryland28.927.6-4.6-1.3-1.7+48.5+49.74719.48
Massachusetts25.324.6-2.9-0.7+0.9+39.1+38.94830.48
Michigan37.937.4-1.2-0.4-1.1+27.1+27.43720.01
Minnesota22.923.2+1.2+0.3-1.8+21.3+22.73515.82
Mississippi14.214.3+0.7+0.1+1.3+24.5+24.72914.03
Missouri30.130.3+0.7+0.2+1.6+21.1+19.53813.49
Montana5.05.1+3.9+0.2+0.3+16.6+20.83312.98
Nebraska9.514.7+55.3+5.2+23.8+14.6+5.23912.34
Nevada11.714.2+21.1+2.5+7.7+9.6+17.43613.15
New Hampshire4.34.1-3.1-0.1+3.7+22.5+25.93724.56
New Jersey38.036.5-3.9-1.5-1.3+42.8+40.45022.63
New Mexico9.09.3+2.5+0.2+26.9+20.5+6.32915.08
New York75.171.9-4.3-3.2-1.6+47.1+50.85126.39
North Carolina49.250.2+2.2+1.1+3.0+22.8+22.03614.02
North Dakota7.011.5+63.6+4.5+40.7+14.7-7.33811.81
Ohio46.057.8+25.5+11.7+9.0+37.0+29.73616.96
Oklahoma20.127.7+37.8+7.6+15.9+28.5+20.93713.12
Oregon16.425.5+55.4+9.1+22.2+39.6+30.64115.37
Pennsylvania40.140.2+0.0+0.0-1.5+39.9+43.82819.30
Rhode Island3.63.6-0.8-0.0+0.8+35.6+39.94929.46
South Carolina22.227.0+21.8+4.8+6.7+15.2+14.33214.96
South Dakota4.95.3+8.3+0.4+7.3+15.8+14.03813.38
Tennessee36.236.5+1.0+0.4+6.7+21.3+19.43413.18
Texas142.0173.8+22.4+31.8+21.1+31.5+18.43315.47
Utah11.914.7+24.0+2.9+12.6+25.7+29.54213.07
Vermont1.92.0+2.3+0.0+0.8+29.4+26.23622.92
Virginia54.083.6+54.9+29.6+22.1+26.6+19.95815.28
Washington29.333.6+15.0+4.4-0.0+35.0+37.63713.11
West Virginia7.68.0+6.0+0.5+1.3+37.0+34.32415.41
Wisconsin23.523.8+1.2+0.3+1.5+28.1+25.23418.16
Wyoming3.65.7+58.9+2.1+3.4+19.7+20.43313.38

51 places, 2019 and 2025, nominal prices: EIA retail sales (EIA-861 based, annual), computed 6 Oct 2026.

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Do prices move with the load growth?

Across 51 states the correlation between commercial sales growth and the change in home prices from 2019 to 2025 is r = -0.32. The ten fastest-growing states averaged +26% in home prices and the ten slowest +40%. A weak or moderate r says the two do not line up neatly; it does not say data centers help or hurt bills.

Home price change against commercial sales growth, 51 states020406080-20020406080Alaska: 1, 14Alabama: -0, 28Arkansas: -0, 31Arizona: 28, 23California: -1, 70CAColorado: -1, 30Connecticut: -6, 34District of Columbia: -9, 69DCDelaware: -3, 36Florida: 4, 30Georgia: 20, 25Hawaii: -8, 27Iowa: 8, 10Idaho: 9, 20Illinois: -6, 36Indiana: 8, 29Kansas: 2, 15Kentucky: 5, 23Louisiana: -2, 28Massachusetts: -3, 39Maryland: -5, 48Maine: -3, 55Michigan: -1, 27Minnesota: 1, 21Missouri: 1, 21Mississippi: 1, 24Montana: 4, 17North Carolina: 2, 23North Dakota: 64, 15NDNebraska: 55, 15New Hampshire: -3, 22New Jersey: -4, 43New Mexico: 3, 21Nevada: 21, 10NVNew York: -4, 47Ohio: 26, 37Oklahoma: 38, 29Oregon: 55, 40Pennsylvania: 0, 40Rhode Island: -1, 36South Carolina: 22, 15South Dakota: 8, 16Tennessee: 1, 21Texas: 22, 32Utah: 24, 26Virginia: 55, 27Vermont: 2, 29Washington: 15, 35Wisconsin: 1, 28West Virginia: 6, 37Wyoming: 59, 20Commercial sales growth 2019-2025, %Home price change 2019-2025, %

51 states: EIA retail sales (EIA-861 based, annual), computed 6 Oct 2026.

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Where PJM expects large new loads

PJM adds large-load adjustments (mostly data centers) to the summer peak forecast by zone. Zones are utility areas and can cross state lines; the state label is our mapping.

PJM large-load adjustments by zone
DOMVA (plus NC part)3,42910,13520,451
AEPOH/VA/WV/IN/KY/MI/TN (multi-state)1,9137,91817,115
COMEDIL4784,83810,405
PLPA1894,9966,279
APSWV/MD/PA/VA (multi-state)1651,2132,624
PSNJ721,1942,372
DAYTONOH09542,241
ATSIOH1321,1292,211
PECOPA178241,697
PEPCODC/MD01421,064
BGEMD18176355
JCPLNJ077245
METEDPA075233
DLCOPA04687

top 14 zones, summer peak adjustments: PJM 2026 Load Forecast Report, table B-9, published 14 Jan 2026.

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How states are changing the rules

The Edison Electric Institute counts 25 states have approved at least one large load tariff, and another 7 states have pending large load tariffs. (industry association source). A few examples with dockets:

Large-load tariffs
StateUtility and tariffDocketDateWhat it does, as summarised in the source
OHAEP Ohio data center tariff24-0508-EL-ATA2025-07-09PUCO order adopted settlement: AEP Ohio to file data center tariff and lift connection moratorium. EEI: new data centers >25 MW pay for at least 85% of expected monthly energy even if unused.
VADominion GS-5 rate class (and minimum demand/contract terms)PUR-2025-000582025-11-25 (final order; GS-5 effective 2027-01-01 per secondary source)Approved in Dominion rate review: GS-5 class for load >=25 MW and load factor >=75%; minimum demand charges and contract terms. (85%/14-year detail from WebSearch only, not verified.)
VAAppalachian Power large power revisionsPUR-2025-00057see EEIRevisions to Large Power Service schedule for new large additions.
INI&M Industrial Power (I.P.) large load modifications460972025-02-19 (order file ord_46097_021925)IURC approval of I&M tariff modifications for large loads (EEI listing). Terms (70 MW/150 MW threshold, 12-year term, 80% min demand) per WebSearch snippet only.
GAGeorgia Power large load rule amendments (>=100 MW)44280see EEIMinimum billing requirements and longer contract terms for expected peak demand >=100 MW.
TXEl Paso Electric / SWEPCO / large load tariffs at PUCT57568; 56903; 58796; 596112026Multiple PUCT dockets: 57568, 56903, 58796 (SWEPCO ES-LL, >=75 MW), 59611 (EPE Schedule 27 HLFLP, >=75 MW, >=85% LF).
PAPA PUC Large Load Tariff FrameworkM-2025-3054271; R-2025-30571642026-04Model framework for customers >50 MW individually or 100 MW aggregate; PPL settlement includes large load tariff.
FLFPL LLCS-1 / LLCS-2 large load contract service20250011effective 2026-01-01For new load >=50 MW and >=85% load factor; take-or-pay, exit fees, collateral.
MO/KSEvergy Large Load Power Service (LLPS)EO-2025-0154; 25-EKME-315-TARsee EEIMissouri LLPS for 75 MW minimum demand; Kansas Evergy large load plan approved.
ORPGE large load rate classUM 23772026-05Oregon PUC approved with modifications a new large load class.
ILComEd Rider DE / terms revisions25-0679/25-0677see EEIClarified requirements for large load service requests.
WIWe Energies Very Large Customer tariff6630-TE-113see EEIVLC tariff and Bespoke Resources Tariff approved by PSCW.
MDMaryland large load rate schedule filings (Next Generation Energy Act)PC722026-09-01Potomac Edison and Exelon MD utilities filed large load schedule proposals.
OHFirstEnergy Ohio Data Center Tariff (pending)26-0697-EL-ATA2026-06Pending DCT filing; also Duke Energy Ohio Rate DC (26-0755) and AES Ohio settlement.

14 tariffs: EEI Large Load Projects and Tariffs (Sept 2026); PUCO, retrieved 2 Oct 2026.

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What the open data does not show

  • Data center electricity by state. The LBNL report ranks Virginia first, then California and Texas, but publishes no state table. We did not find an open dataset of data-center load by state.
  • ISO queues by state. ERCOT, MISO, SPP, CAISO and NYISO publish large-load interconnection queues, but their sites blocked our automatic access, so we did not read or copy any figure from them. PJM's forecast tables were readable and are shown above.
  • Cause and effect on prices. Prices also reflect fuel costs, wires and storm spending, rate cases and each state's regulation. Nothing here isolates the effect of data centers.

How we counted

Commercial sales: EIA retail sales by state, annual 2019 and 2025, in million kWh converted to TWh. Commercial customers include offices, shops, hospitals and data centers, so growth can come from other users; a state with several large data centers will show it, one with many small ones will not. Price change is the percent change of EIA's average residential price between 2019 and 2025, nominal and not adjusted for inflation. Correlation across 51 places: commercial growth against home price change r = -0.32; all-sector sales growth against home price change r = -0.46. Summed over these 51 places, commercial sales went from 1,361 to 1,493 TWh (+9.7%) on our sums.

Sources, dates and licences

Sources
SourceData periodRetrievedLicence
LBNL 2024 United States Data Center Energy Usage Report2014 to 20282 Oct 2026Public report; figures quoted with attribution
EIA Short-Term Energy Outlook, September 20262025 to 20272 Oct 2026U.S. government data, public domain; cite EIA
EIA Today in Energy: Commercial electricity sales have soared in Virginiapublished 5 May 20262 Oct 2026U.S. government data, public domain; cite EIA
EIA annual and monthly retail sales (state, sector)2019 and 20251 Oct 2026U.S. government data, public domain; cite EIA
PJM 2026 Load Forecast Report and tablesforecast to 20362 Oct 2026PJM public report; figures quoted with attribution
Edison Electric Institute: Large Load Projects and Tariffspublished 11 Sep 20262 Oct 2026Industry association; cited only
Ohio PUCO bulletin on AEP Ohio data center tariff9 Jul 20252 Oct 2026State agency, public

Last verified: 6 Oct 2026.

More

Questions

How much electricity do data centers use?

LBNL estimates about 176 TWh in 2023, 4.4% of U.S. electricity, up from about 76 TWh in 2018. Its 2028 range is 325 to 580 TWh.

Which states use the most electricity for data centers?

LBNL names Virginia first, then California and Texas, but gives no state table. We found no open state-level dataset.

Which states have the fastest commercial load growth?

By percent, North Dakota (+64%), Wyoming (+59%) and Oregon (+55%) from 2019 to 2025; by TWh added, Texas (+31.8 TWh).

Do data centers raise my electricity bill?

This page cannot say. Across states, commercial growth and home price change correlate at r = -0.32. Many things move prices, and regulators in several states are writing special tariffs so large new loads pay their own costs.

Why use commercial sales as a proxy?

Most data centers are billed as commercial customers, and EIA publishes commercial sales by state every year. The proxy also includes offices, stores and other users, so it overstates data-center growth in some states and misses it in others.

What is a large-load tariff?

A rate class for very large new customers, often with minimum payments and long contracts. EEI counts 25 states have approved at least one large load tariff, and another 7 states have pending large load tariffs.

What does PJM forecast?

PJM's 2026 forecast adds 67,370 MW of large-load adjustments to the summer peak by 2036, with the Dominion zone at 20,451 MW.

What do EIA's forecasts say?

The September 2026 STEO has commercial sales up 3.3% in 2026 and 2.7% in 2027, and names data centers as a driver.

Why are ERCOT and MISO queue numbers missing?

Their websites blocked our automated access on 2 Oct 2026, and we do not publish figures we could not read at the source.

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4.4% of U.S. electricity went to data centers in 2023 (LBNL); up to 12% projected for 2028