A new report from the U.S. Energy Information Administration forecasts that electricity usage this upcoming summer will be the country’s lowest since 2014.
Research from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration projects mild summer weather in 2019, which could bring the average U.S. household’s energy consumption down to about 3,080 kilowatt-hours, a 5 percent decrease from 2018s summer consumption. From June to August of this year, the NOAA predicts there will be a 9 percent decrease in cooling degree days compared with 2018. (Cooling degree days are a measurement commonly used to determine the amount of energy needed to cool a building.)
Lower usage to offset higher electricity prices
If summer consumption does average at 3,080 Kwh, the EIA estimates that the average electricity bills between June and August will total $412, a 3 percent drop from last year’s average total bill. Even though usage is on the decline, ratepayers can expect to see a roughly 2 percent increase in retail electricity prices. Fortunately, the lowered usage will offset the increase in the price per kilowatt-hour.
While U.S. residential electricity demand generally peaks during the summer months, overall consumption has been on the decline since 2010, thanks to improvements in home energy efficiency.
Gabriella is a North Carolina-based writer covering topics related to the energy industry and the environment. A Sunshine State native, Gabriella graduated from the University of Florida in 2017 with a bachelor’s degree in English.