The U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) has forecast that 86 GW of new utility-scale electric generation capacity will be added in 2026, with solar accounting for 51%, battery storage for 28%, and wind for 14%.

EIA also notes that 53 GW of new capacity was added in 2025, the largest single-year addition since 2002.

Solar

According to early estimates, 43.4 GW of new utility-scale solar capacity will be added in 2026, up 60% from 2025.

More than half of the planned solar additions are concentrated in four states: Texas (40%), Arizona (6%), California (6%), and Michigan (5%).

EIA said the Tehuacana Creek 1 solar and battery storage project in Texas is the largest solar project expected to come online in 2026, at 837 MW, paired with 418 MW of battery storage.

Utility-scale solar is the fastest-growing energy source in the U.S., with an expected increase to 424 billion kWh by 2027, up from 290 billion kWh in 2025, according to EIA’s Short-Term Energy Outlook report. The U.S. electric power generation reached 4,620 billion kWh in 2025 and is projected to grow by 1.1% in 2026 and 2.6% in 2027, reaching an annual total of 4,423 billion kWh.

Battery Storage

Developers plan to add 24 GW of utility-scale battery storage capacity in 2026, up from a record 15 GW added in 2025.

EIA said battery storage has expanded rapidly in the country, with more than 40 GW added over the last five years.

About 80% of planned 2026 battery additions are concentrated in three states: Texas (53%), California (14%), and Arizona (13%).

Some of the large battery projects expected in 2026 include the 621 MW Lunis Creek BESS project in Jackson, Texas; the 600 MW Clear Fork Creek Solar and battery storage SLF in Wilson, Texas; the 500 MW Bellefield 2 Solar and Energy Storage Farm in Kern County, California; and the 418 MW Tehuacana Creek 1 battery storage project in Navarro County, Texas.

Wind

Annual wind additions have slowed after over 14 GW per year peaks in 2020 and 2021, but could stage a comeback in 2026 with 11.8 GW of planned additions, more than double the capacity added last year.

Nearly 60% of 2026 wind additions are expected across New Mexico, Texas, Illinois, and Wyoming.

Two large offshore projects — the 800 MW Vineyard Wind 1 in Massachusetts and the 715 MW Revolution Wind in Rhode Island — are also expected to come online in 2026 after delays.

The 3.65 GW SunZia Wind project in New Mexico is expected to start commercial operations this year and would be the largest onshore wind project in the U.S.

Natural Gas

EIA reports planned additions of 6.3 GW of natural gas-fired capacity in 2026, including 3.3 GW of combined-cycle and 2.8 GW of combustion turbines.

More than 80% of that planned gas capacity is located across Texas, Oklahoma, Ohio, Tennessee, and Florida. The two largest gas plants expected to enter service in 2026 are the 1.15 GW Orange County Advanced Power Station in Texas and the 900 MW Trumbull Energy Center in Ohio.