- U.S. grid added 20.2 GW of capacity in H1 2024, up 21% from 2023.
- Solar led growth, making up 59% (12 GW) of new capacity.
- Battery storage added 4.2 GW, with key projects in Texas, California.
- 5.1 GW of capacity retired, mostly natural gas and coal plants.
- Another 42.6 GW expected by year-end, with solar and storage dominating.
The U.S. power grid saw substantial growth in the first half of 2024, with the addition of 20.2 gigawatts (GW) of new utility-scale electric generating capacity. This increase, as reported by the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA), is 21% higher than the capacity added in the same period of 2023. The expansion of the grid aligns with trends toward renewable energy, particularly solar and battery storage, which dominated the newly operational capacity during this period.
Solar energy accounted for the largest share of the new capacity, making up 59% of the additions, or approximately 12 GW. Texas and Florida were significant contributors, together comprising 38% of these new solar projects. The Gemini Solar Project in Nevada and the Lumina Solar Project in Texas were two of the largest developments, adding 690 MW and 653 MW of solar capacity, respectively. These figures underscore the continued growth of solar power as a key contributor to the U.S. energy mix.
Battery storage followed closely, contributing 4.2 GW or 21% of the total capacity added in the first six months of the year. This development reflects the increasing reliance on energy storage solutions to complement intermittent renewable energy sources like solar and wind. Four states—California, Texas, Arizona, and Nevada—were responsible for the majority of these battery storage additions, with the 380-MW battery component of the Gemini project and the 300-MW Eleven Mile Solar Center in Arizona standing out as the largest contributors.
Wind power added 2.5 GW, accounting for 12% of new capacity. The largest wind projects were located in Texas, with Canyon Wind contributing 309 MW and Goodnight adding 266 MW. This modest growth in wind energy signals that while it remains a vital part of the energy landscape, solar and battery storage are driving much of the current expansion.
Nuclear energy also saw a notable milestone in 2024 with the addition of Unit 4 at Georgia's Vogtle nuclear power plant. This new reactor, with a capacity of 1,114 MW, made Vogtle the largest nuclear facility in the United States and the only plant with four reactors in operation.
On the other side of the equation, the pace of generating capacity retirements has slowed compared to 2023. In the first half of 2024, 5.1 GW of capacity was retired, which is a significant decrease from the 9.2 GW retired during the same period in the previous year. Natural gas-powered plants accounted for 53% of the retirements, while coal made up 41%. Two of the largest coal retirements were Seminole Electric Cooperative’s Unit 1 in Florida and Homer City Generating Station’s Unit 1 in Pennsylvania, both retiring 626 MW of capacity. The largest natural gas plant retirement was the Mystic Generating Station in Massachusetts, which retired 1,413 MW.
Looking ahead, the EIA anticipates further growth in the second half of 2024, with developers planning to add another 42.6 GW of capacity. Solar energy will continue to dominate, with 25 GW of new solar capacity expected, potentially setting a record for the largest annual solar addition in U.S. history. Battery storage will also see significant expansion, with an additional 10.8 GW planned, concentrated primarily in Texas and California.
In terms of retirements, an additional 2.4 GW of capacity is expected to go offline by the end of 2024, including 0.7 GW of coal and 1.1 GW of natural gas capacity. These trends highlight the continuing shift in the U.S. energy landscape toward cleaner energy sources and the growing role of battery storage in stabilizing the grid.
As the country continues to move toward a more sustainable and reliable energy system, the developments in 2024 mark significant progress in that transition. The growing reliance on solar and battery storage, combined with the retirement of older, less efficient fossil fuel plants, illustrates the ongoing evolution of the U.S. power grid.