Texas, Washington Lead U.S. Electricity Generation Surge

U.S. Power plants generated 2.1 percent more electricity in the first half of 2026 compared to the same period in 2025. The surge was driven by rising demand from data centers and other large users, according to an analysis of U.S. Energy Information Administration data by Inside Climate News.

The states with the largest increases in utility-scale generation were Texas, Washington, Tennessee, Ohio, and New Mexico. California saw the most significant decline. Nationally, natural gas remained the dominant source with 38.4 percent of generation, followed by renewables at 28.5 percent, nuclear at 17.1 percent, and coal at 14.4 percent.

Renewables gained 2.2 percentage points in market share, while coal lost the same amount. Gas and nuclear shares were essentially flat.

Texas Solar Overtakes Coal

Texas led the nation in increased generation, adding 9,086 gigawatt-hours for a total of 293,151 gigawatt-hours in the first half of the year. Surprisingly, solar power drove much of this growth. Utility-scale solar output jumped 35 percent, adding 9,373 gigawatt-hours. That increase alone could power about 870,000 average U.S. Homes for a year.

Solar generation surpassed coal-fired power in five of the first six months of 2026. It is on pace to exceed coal for the full year, a first for the nation's leading coal power state. Natural gas generation in Texas was flat, as few new plants have come online despite a construction boom on the horizon.

Nicolas Fulghum, a senior analyst at Ember, noted the rapid shift. "Five years ago, coal still generated more than seven times as much electricity as solar in Texas," he said. "That gap closing so fast tells you this isn't all about policy. Solar is winning on cost and deployment speed."

Hydropower Rebound in Washington

Washington's generation increase was powered by a resurgence in hydropower. The state generated 45,143 gigawatt-hours from hydropower in the first half, an increase of 10,925 gigawatt-hours from the prior year. Heavy rains in December 2025 led to higher water flows and increased generation, according to Bonneville Power Administration spokeswoman Maryam Habibi.

With ample hydropower, the state's natural gas plants ran much less. Gas-fired generation fell 44 percent. Washington's reliance on low-cost hydropower helps explain why it has some of the nation's least expensive electricity.

Nuclear and Gas Gains in Tennessee and Ohio

Tennessee boosted its output by running its two existing nuclear plants more often. The Sequoyah and Watts Bar plants, owned by the Tennessee Valley Authority, provided nearly half the state's electricity. Sequoyah nearly doubled its output, while Watts Bar was up more than 50 percent. A TVA spokesman, Scott Brooks, explained this was a return to normal operations after maintenance-related outages in 2025.

Ohio's increase was fueled by natural gas. The opening of the Trumbull Energy Center gas plant was a key driver. The state sits on major shale formations, providing easy fuel access. More gas plants are planned to serve growing data center demand. Utility-scale solar in Ohio grew over 30 percent but remains a small source, producing about one-ninth the power of the state's gas plants.

New Mexico's Contrast and California's Drop

New Mexico's generation shot up due to gains in both coal and solar. The increase in coal was entirely from higher output at the Four Corners plant, which was offline for maintenance in prior periods. Solar and wind also grew from new projects, including the massive SunZia wind farm.

California's utility-scale generation plummeted. A drop in natural gas usage was the main cause. The state relied on its vast solar capacity, battery storage to shift power to evening hours, and imports from other states. The data excludes customer-owned generation like rooftop solar, where California is a national leader. Policy changes have, however, reduced the financial incentives for rooftop solar owners.

The national growth rate of 2.1 percent was significant but slower than the increases seen in the first halves of 2025 and 2024. The trends highlight how local resources, from Texas sun to Washington rivers, are shaping the grid's evolution under rising demand.