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Artificial Intelligence Drives US Electricity Consumption to Record Highs

Electricity consumption in the US reaches new record levels according to the EIA, driven by the rise of AI data centers and cryptocurrencies.

12 August 2026Tagblick Newsdesk

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Archive photo: Artificial Intelligence Drives US Electricity Consumption to Record Highs — Archive photoPhoto: x.huebner · Flickr · BY

The Energy Information Administration (EIA) has raised its forecasts for electricity consumption in the coming years. The increase is primarily attributed to a growing demand from data centers used for artificial intelligence (AI) and cryptocurrencies.

A small portion of the rising electricity consumption comes from private households, which are increasingly using electricity instead of fossil fuels. The EIA reports that demand will continue to rise, likely leading to new record highs.

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