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Which States Lead U.S. Electricity Generation Gains
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The U.S. Energy Information Administration reported that U.S. utility-scale electricity generation rose 2.1 percent in the first half of 2026 compared with the first half of 2025. The largest state-level increases occurred in Texas, Washington, Tennessee, Ohio and New Mexico — driven respectively by utility-scale solar in Texas, hydropower in Washington, higher nuclear output in Tennessee, natural gas in Ohio and a mix of coal and solar in New Mexico. Inside Climate News preserves the EIA figures and highlights the state-level shifts that matter for wind and other generators.
Five years ago, coal still generated more than seven times as much electricity as solar in Texas.
Nicolas Fulghum, senior energy and climate data analyst, Ember
Key takeaways
- National change: U.S. utility-scale generation rose 2.1 percent in the first half of 2026 versus the first half of 2025, per the U.S. Energy Information Administration.
- Texas: Texas produced 293,151 gigawatt-hours in H1 2026, 9,086 gigawatt-hours more than a year earlier, with utility-scale solar at 35,992 gigawatt-hours (an increase of 9,373 GWh, or 35 percent).
- Washington: Washington’s hydropower output was 45,143 gigawatt-hours in the first half of 2026, an increase of 10,925 gigawatt-hours.
- California decline: California’s utility-scale generation fell in part because battery storage and abundant solar reduced use of gas-fired plants and because customer-owned rooftop solar offsets grid demand.
Table of contents
Texas’s rise: a solar-led expansion
Texas led all states in utility-scale electricity generation in the first half of 2026, producing 293,151 gigawatt-hours and adding 9,086 GWh year-on-year. That growth was unusually concentrated in utility-scale solar: solar output reached 35,992 gigawatt-hours, up 9,373 GWh or 35 percent from a year earlier. The increase in solar alone was large enough to cover other declines and meet a substantial portion of new demand tied to data centers and population growth.
The solar gains reflect rapid deployment and falling costs rather than immediate additions of new natural gas plants; the state’s natural gas output was essentially flat in H1 2026. Nicolas Fulghum, senior energy and climate data analyst for Ember, framed the change this way: “Five years ago, coal still generated more than seven times as much electricity as solar in Texas.” That quote illustrates how quickly the generation mix can change when solar deployment and storage scale up.
For grid planners and wind developers, the Texas case matters because it shows how fast an incumbent thermal fleet can be displaced by renewables when transmission, interconnection and demand conditions align. The state’s balance of wind and solar generation throughout 2026 will determine how often gas peakers are needed for evening ramps.
Hydropower recovery drove Washington’s jump
Washington’s increase was driven chiefly by hydropower, which produced 45,143 gigawatt-hours in H1 2026, a rise of 10,925 GWh from the same period in 2025. Bonneville Power Administration spokeswoman Maryam Habibi attributed the rebound in part to heavy rains in December 2025 that boosted early-2026 water flows. When hydro is plentiful it can displace gas and other flexible resources; in Washington, gas-fired generation fell by 44 percent in the period examined.
Hydropower’s variability underscores a key difference between wind and water: hydro output depends on seasonal snowpack and rainfall, while wind depends on atmospheric conditions that are often less predictable month to month. For projects located in the Pacific Northwest, that means hydropower swings can create multi-year windows of low wholesale prices that affect new wind project economics.
Nuclear and gas explain Tennessee and Ohio
Tennessee’s rise came from increased use of its two nuclear plants, Sequoyah and Watts Bar, both operated by the Tennessee Valley Authority. Sequoyah nearly doubled its output in H1 2026 compared to a year earlier because one of its units had been offline for a generator replacement in 2025; Watts Bar rose by more than 50 percent. TVA spokesman Scott Brooks described these moves as a return to normal availability rather than brand-new capacity.
Ohio’s increase was driven primarily by natural gas, including the start of large new gas capacity such as the Trumbull Energy Center that came online in the first half of 2026. Ohio’s local access to Marcellus and Utica shale gas makes gas-fired generation the marginal source for much of the state’s recent growth. Utility-scale solar in Ohio also rose by more than 30 percent but remains much smaller than gas—producing about one-ninth as much as the state’s gas plants in the period covered.
California fell as storage and rooftop solar cut grid demand
California was the largest state to see generation fall in the first half of 2026, a decline that was largely attributable to lower use of gas-fired power plants. The state’s large volume of utility-scale and customer-owned rooftop solar, combined with batteries that shift midday solar to evening peaks, reduced the need for in-state gas generation and increased imports during some hours.
The data series used here covers utility-scale generation only and therefore excludes the country’s leading supply of small-scale rooftop solar. The state’s rooftop capacity and recent net metering policy changes both affect how much electricity the grid must supply and when. For wind developers and system operators, California’s shift highlights how behind-the-meter resources and storage can change generation patterns even as overall demand rises nationally.
| State | Key driver | Notable figures from the material |
|---|---|---|
| Texas | Utility-scale solar | 293,151 GWh total; +9,086 GWh year-on-year; solar 35,992 GWh (+9,373 GWh, 35%) |
| Washington | Hydropower | Hydro 45,143 GWh (+10,925 GWh); gas generation down 44% |
| Tennessee | Nuclear (Sequoyah, Watts Bar) | Sequoyah nearly doubled output; Watts Bar up more than 50% |
| Ohio | Natural gas | New plants including Trumbull Energy Center; solar grew >30% but ≈1/9 of gas |
| New Mexico | Coal and utility-scale solar | Increase led by Four Corners returning to service and new solar and SunZia wind |
| California | Batteries and rooftop solar reducing gas use | Utility-scale generation fell as batteries stored midday solar and rooftop solar offset grid demand |
How these trends could evolve
The case for
- If utility-scale solar and batteries continue to deploy rapidly in Texas, solar could exceed coal for the full year and further reduce reliance on gas peakers.
- Sustained water availability in the Pacific Northwest would keep hydropower high and depress gas-fired generation in Washington and neighboring states.
The case against
- A return to drier conditions would reduce hydro output in Washington and raise regional demand for flexible gas or imports.
- Delays or slowdowns in interconnection, permitting, or transmission buildout could constrain further solar and wind deployment and limit displacement of fossil fuels.
What to be careful about
- Seasonal and weather variability that can quickly reverse hydropower and solar gains in a given state.
- Capacity additions concentrated in one fuel or region can create hours of oversupply and pressure project economics.
- Policy or market changes (for example, net metering or capacity rules) that materially alter the value of behind-the-meter solar or battery revenue streams.
The bottom line
The first half of 2026 shows that state-level dynamics matter: rapid solar deployment and batteries are reshaping Texas’s grid, hydropower swings can move whole regional markets in the Pacific Northwest, and changes in plant availability can make nuclear or coal appear to surge or retreat. The U.S. Energy Information Administration’s H1 2026 figures make clear that renewables are gaining share nationally, but local fuel mixes and plant outages or returns-to-service are what actually change hourly dispatch and investment signals.
What to watch
- Watch whether utility-scale solar in Texas exceeds coal for the full calendar year; no date has been set.
- Watch quarterly EIA generation releases for changes to Washington’s hydropower totals after the 2026 snowmelt season; no date has been set.
- Watch output at the Four Corners plant in next EIA monthly data to confirm whether its higher 2026 run rates persist; no date has been set.
Frequently asked questions
Which states added the most utility-scale generation in the first half of 2026?
Texas, Washington, Tennessee, Ohio and New Mexico recorded the largest increases in utility-scale electricity generation in H1 2026, with Texas adding 9,086 gigawatt-hours and Washington’s hydropower up by 10,925 GWh.
How much did utility-scale solar grow in Texas in H1 2026?
Utility-scale solar in Texas generated 35,992 gigawatt-hours in the first half of 2026, an increase of 9,373 GWh, or 35 percent, compared with the same period in 2025.
Why did California’s utility-scale generation fall while national generation rose?
According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, California’s utility-scale generation fell partly because battery storage shifted midday solar output into evening hours and because widespread customer-owned rooftop solar reduced demand on the grid; the EIA also cited increased imports and lower output from gas plants as additional contributors.
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