Eastern grid operator PJM Interconnection reduced its estimates for the increase in electricity demand, reflecting deeper analysis of which artificial intelligence data center projects are more or less likely to need electricity.
The grid manager in 13 states, from Chicago to the mid-Atlantic coast, issued a 2026 long-term load forecast As of Wednesday, it projects an annualized growth rate in summer peak demand of 3.6 percent on average per year over the next 10 years. This is a stark change from the long-term forecast for 2021, which predicted an annual growth rate of just 0.3% for the decade.
Peak summer demand is expected to increase by about 66,000 megawatts to a total of 222,000 MW in 2036.
The updated forecast for peak demand in summer 2026 has reduced the projections made last year by about 2,500 MW, a reduction of 1.6%. The forecast for summer 2028 has been reduced by 2.6%, or around 4,400 MW.