Policy changes suddenly! The direction of the US power industry has made a sharp turn: natural gas becomes a hot commodity, while renewable energy faces a chill.

Data shows that American power developers plan to significantly increase natural gas and hydroelectric power capacity, while reducing the planned construction of CECEP Solar Energy and wind power plants. According to data from the Global Energy Monitoring Agency (GEM), by mid-2025, American power developers have slightly over 114,000 megawatts (MW) of natural gas capacity under construction or in the early stages of development. This number is more than twice the planned capacity from a year ago. According to GEM's data, among all power facilities under construction or in the early stages of development, natural gas power plants are the largest single source of electricity. Compared to a year ago, developers have also significantly increased their hydroelectric and nuclear power capacity plans, while reducing the planned capacity for CECEP Solar Energy and wind power. The huge changes in the planned power generation structure highlight the impact of the sudden shift in federal government energy policy after Donald Trump returned to the White House. Natural gas power plants and hydroelectric power become popular choices Currently, natural gas power plants account for about 46% of America's operational electricity capacity, and 36% of the capacity under construction or in the early stages of development. There are currently around 16,300 MW of natural gas capacity under construction and approximately 98,000 MW of capacity in the early stages of development, meaning the relevant sites have been identified and the necessary permits have been applied for. American utilities are also constructing or planning to build around 36,000 MW of hydroelectric capacity and nearly 8,000 MW of nuclear power capacity. These sources of electricity all share a crucial common attribute: they can be dispatched by utilities to balance the power demand on the system. The total capacity of dispatchable power currently under development is 159,000 MW, compared to around 57,000 MW at the same time last year. CECEP Solar Energy and wind power face setbacks The significant increase in dispatchable power compared to the decrease in planned renewable energy capacity presents a stark contrast. Renewable energy is also known as intermittent power since it can only be generated when there is sufficient sunlight or wind. The current capacity under construction or in the early stages of development for CECEP Solar Energy is 92,000 MW, lower than the 112,000 MW at the same time in 2024. The wind power capacity currently under development is about 65,000 MW, lower than the approximately 74,000 MW a year ago. Overall, the planned renewable energy capacity currently under construction is 155,000 MW, lower than the 186,000 MW a year ago. One of the reasons for the significant decrease in planned renewable energy capacity is that some previously built capacity is now operational. Other reasons include the increasing wait time for new power facilities to connect to the local grid and the rising costs of components and raw materials, especially materials needed for wind power plants. The Trump administration's substantial cuts to future tax breaks and subsidies have also led to the reduction of some renewable energy projects, especially in states where the wait time for grid connection is already long. Clean energy will play a larger role Once construction and pre-construction work is completed, natural gas power capacity will account for 44% of the entire electricity system in the United States, more than double any other power source. After the current construction boom ends, the share of coal capacity will be surpassed by wind energy and CECEP Solar Energy. Currently, coal accounts for approximately 15% of the total operational capacity, wind energy accounts for 12%, and CECEP Solar Energy accounts for 10%. Upon completion of projects currently under construction or in the pre-development stages, wind energy and CECEP Solar Energy will each account for 14%, while the share of coal-fired power will decrease to approximately 12%. With the expansion of renewable energy generation, the share of clean energy in the power structure will increase from 39% to 44% upon completion. This means that while the American electricity system will still heavily rely on natural gas, clean energy will also have a significant share and play a crucial role in emission reduction efforts.