PVTIME – The recently published Preliminary Monthly Electric Generator Inventory report indicates that the U.S. power grid is on track to experience a substantial increase in new utility-scale electric generating capacity in 2025. The EIA anticipates that a total of 63GW of new capacity is projected to be added, representing a nearly 30% increase from the 48.6GW installed in 2024. This 2024 figure was already the largest single-year capacity installation since 2002. Solar and battery storage are set to play dominant roles, together accounting for 81% of the total expected capacity increments, with solar alone contributing over half of the growth.
Solar energy deployment has been steadily increasing. In 2024, a record 30GW of utility-scale solar was integrated into the U.S. grid, representing 61% of that year’s capacity additions. This growth is expected to continue in 2025, with an estimated 32.5GW of new utility-scale solar capacity in the pipeline. Texas, with a projected 11.6GW, and California, contributing 2.9GW, are expected to account for nearly half of the new utility-scale solar installations in 2025. In addition, five other states — Indiana, Arizona, Michigan, Florida, and New York — are each expected to add more than 1GW of solar capacity, collectively contributing 7.8GW to the planned solar expansion.
In 2025, capacity growth from battery storage could set a record, with 18.2GW of utility-scale battery storage expected to be added to the grid. U.S. battery storage already achieved record growth in 2024 when power providers added 10.3GW of new battery storage capacity. This underscores the importance of battery storage when used in conjunction with renewable energy, as it helps balance supply and demand and improves grid stability. It is important to note that energy storage systems do not function as primary electricity sources, as they do not generate electricity from a fuel or natural resource. Instead, they function as a secondary source of electricity, storing electricity that has already been generated by an electricity generator or the electric power grid.
In 2025, it is anticipated that 7.7GW of wind capacity will be added to the U.S. grid. In 2024, only 5.1GW was added, representing the smallest wind capacity addition since 2014. Texas, Wyoming, and Massachusetts are set to account for almost half of the 2025 wind capacity additions. Two significant offshore wind projects are scheduled to commence operations this year: the 800MW Vineyard Wind 1 in Massachusetts and the 715MW Revolution Wind in Rhode Island.
Developers are planning to build 4.4GW of new natural gas-fired capacity in the United States during 2025, with 50% from simple-cycle combustion turbines and 36% from combined-cycle power blocks. The states of Utah, Louisiana, Nebraska, North Dakota, and Tennessee account for more than 70% of these planned natural gas additions. The two largest natural gas plants expected to come online in 2025 are the 840MW Intermountain Power Project in Utah and the 678.7MW Magnolia Power in Louisiana. The natural gas capacity additions at the Intermountain Power Project will replace 1,800MW of coal-fired capacity at the plant, which is scheduled to be retired in July.
