In the first half of 2024, the US power grid saw a substantial increase in capacity, with developers and power plant owners adding 20.2 gigawatts (GW) of new utility-scale electric generating capacity, according to the US Energy Information Administration (EIA). This represents a 21% increase compared to the same period in 2023.

Solar power led the charge, contributing 12 GW, or 59% of the new capacity, with Texas and Florida accounting for 38% of these additions. Notable projects include Nevada’s Gemini facility, which added 690 megawatts (MW) of solar and storage, and Texas’ 653-MW Lumina Solar Project.

Battery storage continued its upward trend, making up 21% (4.2 GW) of the new capacity. Significant contributions came from states like California, Texas, Arizona, and Nevada. The Gemini project also made headlines for its 380-MW battery storage, along with Arizona’s 300-MW Eleven Mile Solar Center.

Wind power added 2.5 GW, or 12%, of new capacity, with Texas leading the way with projects like the 309-MW Canyon Wind and 266-MW Goodnight Wind farms. On the nuclear front, Georgia’s Vogtle nuclear power plant achieved a significant milestone with Unit 4, a 1,114-MW reactor, going live in April.

Retirements of older power capacity have slowed, with only 5.1 GW being retired in the first six months of 2024, down from 9.2 GW during the same period in 2023. The majority of these retirements were from natural gas (53%) and coal (41%) plants.

Looking ahead, an additional 42.6 GW of capacity could come online in the second half of the year, with solar expected to account for nearly 60% of this new capacity.

Sources: electrek.co