New report reveals concerning trend in US power usage: 'It will be something we deal with next year'

A new report revealed what's driving increased electricity use in the United States, and why it's adding to the country's reliance on old power sources.

What's happening?

According to a new analysis cited by The New York Times, U.S. air pollution rose by about 2.4% in 2025, ending a two-year slide.

The Rhodium Group, an independent research firm, traced the increase to two main forces: cold winter temperatures that boosted heating demand and the explosive growth of energy-hungry data centers.

Those data centers — many of which support artificial intelligence tools and cloud services — require massive, round-the-clock power. When demand spikes faster than new clean energy can come online, utilities often fall back on coal-fired power plants to fill the gap.

"The main story here was partly weather and partly a growing power sector that's burning more coal," said Rhodium analyst Michael Gaffney, per the Times. 

Coal use had been declining for years as renewable sources expanded and natural gas displaced older plants. In fact, clean energy has been overtaking coal as a primary power source in the U.S. — a shift that once seemed firmly underway. The new report suggests that progress, while real, may be more fragile than expected.

Why is this concerning?

Coal isn't just old — it also produces more air pollution than most other ways of generating electricity. Communities near coal plants often breathe dirtier air, which doctors link to higher rates of asthma and heart problems. When utilities lean on coal again, it also undercuts efforts to cut the pollution that drives more extreme weather.

For households, the impact can be subtle but real. Higher electricity bills can pop up during peak demand, local grids may feel the strain, and progress toward more stable, affordable energy systems can slow down.

Rhodium researchers now expect harmful carbon pollution to decline more slowly over the next decade than previously forecast.

What's being done about it?

Utilities and grid operators are trying to keep pace. Developers are building new wind and solar projects, crews are upgrading transmission lines, and companies are expanding energy storage in some regions.

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But much of that work takes years to complete, and demand is rising faster in certain parts of the country than new infrastructure can come online.

As Gaffney noted, the challenge isn't disappearing any time soon.

"It will be something we deal with next year," he said, per the Times. "We are going to have to figure out how to fill that gap."

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