Utility systems in the US are carrying demand growth alongside a faster shift toward cleaner power and smarter infrastructure. In 2023, smart meter installations reached 118 million and demand response helped cut peak load by 9,800 MW in 2022, while costs for renewables kept falling and grids kept getting more complex. This post pulls together the utility statistics that explain what is changing, what is holding steady, and why the numbers matter for planning from generation to transmission.
Key Takeaways
- In 2022, U.S. utility-scale solar photovoltaic capacity increased by 84% to 71 GW
- Global utility-scale battery storage capacity reached 28 GW by end of 2022, with China leading at 11 GW
- U.S. residential electricity consumption averaged 10,791 kWh per household in 2021
- U.S. natural gas production hit 36.4 Tcf in 2022
- U.S. residential natural gas consumption was 12.8 Tcf in 2022
- LNG exports from U.S. reached 11.9 Bcf/day in 2022
- U.S. broadband penetration reached 89% of households by 2022
- Fixed broadband average download speed was 242 Mbps in U.S. Q4 2022
- U.S. fiber broadband connections grew to 45 million by end 2022
- U.S. municipal solid waste generation was 292 million tons in 2018
- U.S. landfills number 2,463 active municipal solid waste landfills in 2021
- Recycling rate for municipal solid waste was 32.1% in 2018
- U.S. public water utilities serve 86% of the population, delivering 39 billion gallons daily
- Average daily per capita water use in U.S. households is 82 gallons
- U.S. public water systems total 149,702, with 52,316 community systems
In 2022, solar and wind grew while prices held steady, reshaping US power generation and grid demand.
Related reading
01 · Category
Electricity26 stats
01
In 2022, U.S. utility-scale solar photovoltaic capacity increased by 84% to 71 GW
02
Global utility-scale battery storage capacity reached 28 GW by end of 2022, with China leading at 11 GW
03
U.S. residential electricity consumption averaged 10,791 kWh per household in 2021
04
Wind power provided 10.1% of U.S. total electricity generation in 2022 at 434 TWh
05
Utility-scale hydropower generated 238 TWh in the U.S. in 2022, accounting for 6% of total generation
06
Coal-fired utility plants produced 828 TWh in the U.S. in 2022, down 8% from 2021
07
Natural gas accounted for 40.3% of U.S. electricity net generation in 2022 at 1,718 TWh
08
U.S. nuclear power plants generated 775 TWh in 2022, 18.2% of total utility-scale generation
09
Utility-scale geothermal capacity in the U.S. was 1,715 MW in 2022, producing 15.9 TWh
10
Biomass fueled 64 TWh of U.S. electricity in 2022, 1.5% of total generation
11
U.S. electricity end-use sector consumption was 3,970 TWh in 2021
12
Average U.S. retail electricity price was 15.12 cents/kWh in 2022 for all sectors
13
Texas ERCOT grid peak demand hit 85,509 MW on August 14, 2023
14
PJM Interconnection managed 185 GW of peak load in 2022
15
California ISO peak demand was 52,061 MW in 2022
16
U.S. transmission line miles totaled 240,000 circuit-miles at 230 kV and above in 2021
17
Distribution transformers in U.S. utilities number over 60 million units
18
Smart meter installations reached 118 million in U.S. by 2022
19
Utility-scale solar costs fell to $24/MWh LCOE in 2022
20
Onshore wind LCOE averaged $40/MWh for U.S. utilities in 2022
21
U.S. data center electricity use was 4% of total, 200 TWh in 2022
22
Offshore wind capacity in U.S. pipeline exceeds 30 GW as of 2023
23
Pumped storage hydropower capacity is 22.6 GW in U.S.
24
U.S. microgrids numbered 584 operational in 2023
25
EV charging ports in U.S. reached 168,000 by end 2023
26
Demand response programs reduced U.S. peak load by 9,800 MW in 2022
Interpretation
Electricity Interpretation
The American power grid is undergoing a messy but heroic metamorphosis, where natural gas still reigns as king, solar is the ambitious young heir sprinting onto the stage, batteries are the new lieutenants reporting for duty, and wind and nuclear form the steadfast backbone—all while our houses keep guzzling electricity, our data centers silently siphon a growing share, and engineers desperately try to keep the lights on when Texas bakes and everyone cranks their AC.
02 · Category
Natural Gas16 stats
01
U.S. natural gas production hit 36.4 Tcf in 2022
02
U.S. residential natural gas consumption was 12.8 Tcf in 2022
03
LNG exports from U.S. reached 11.9 Bcf/day in 2022
04
Interstate natural gas pipeline mileage totaled 306,000 miles in 2022
05
Average U.S. wellhead natural gas price was $6.45/MMBtu in 2022
06
Henry Hub spot price averaged $6.45/MMBtu in 2022
07
U.S. natural gas storage working capacity is 4,100 Bcf as of 2023
08
Shale gas accounted for 82% of U.S. dry gas production in 2022
09
Permian Basin produced 20.9 Bcf/day of natural gas in 2022
10
Marcellus shale output was 32.4 Bcf/day in Dec 2022
11
U.S. gas utility customers number 72 million residential
12
Pipeline safety incidents averaged 300 major events yearly 2018-2022
13
Biogas from landfills injected 150 Bcf into U.S. gas grids in 2022
14
RNG production capacity hit 3 Bcf/day potential in U.S. 2023
15
Europe imported 57 Bcm LNG from U.S. in 2022
16
Haynesville shale gas output 14.5 Bcf/day in 2022
Interpretation
Natural Gas Interpretation
America's home fires are now sharing their domestic warmth with the world, as our prolific shale wells feed a vast pipeline web that transforms yesterday's waste into tomorrow's energy exports, all while we try to keep the price and the pressure from rising too high.
03 · Category
Telecommunications14 stats
01
U.S. broadband penetration reached 89% of households by 2022
02
Fixed broadband average download speed was 242 Mbps in U.S. Q4 2022
03
U.S. fiber broadband connections grew to 45 million by end 2022
04
Cable broadband held 55% market share of U.S. fixed broadband in 2022
05
5G connections in U.S. reached 189 million by Q3 2023
06
U.S. average mobile download speed was 58.4 Mbps in Q4 2022
07
Rural U.S. broadband access gap affects 14.5 million people lacking 100/20 Mbps
08
FCC universal service fund disbursed $8.5 billion in 2022 for telecom subsidies
09
U.S. wireline telecom revenue $173 billion in 2022
10
Mobile subscriptions in U.S. 455 million in 2022
11
Satellite broadband users 2.5 million in U.S. 2023
12
VoIP connections overtook traditional 60% market share 2022
13
Spectrum auctions raised $233 billion since 1994 for U.S. telecom
14
Median fixed broadband latency 20 ms in U.S. 2022
Interpretation
Telecommunications Interpretation
America's broadband landscape is a tale of two countries, where impressive averages and booming revenues mask a persistent digital divide, proving that in the race for connectivity, we're still waiting for the last mile to catch up with the first.
More related reading
04 · Category
Waste Management15 stats
01
U.S. municipal solid waste generation was 292 million tons in 2018
02
U.S. landfills number 2,463 active municipal solid waste landfills in 2021
03
Recycling rate for municipal solid waste was 32.1% in 2018
04
U.S. wastewater biosolids production totals 8.8 million dry tons annually
05
Hazardous waste generated in U.S. was 35.2 million tons in 2020
06
U.S. incinerators process 12.6% of MSW, combusting 34 million tons yearly
07
Composting facilities in U.S. handle 4.1% of MSW, about 12 million tons/year
08
U.S. construction and demolition debris totaled 600 million tons in 2018
09
Landfill methane emissions from utilities sector were 104.3 MMT CO2e in 2021
10
U.S. MSW recycling diverted 94 million tons from landfills in 2018
11
E-waste generated 6.9 million tons in U.S. 2019, recycled 15%
12
Anaerobic digesters at wastewater plants produce 1.2 Bcf biogas daily
13
U.S. zero-waste facilities number 4,500 certified
14
Food waste in U.S. households 40% of total food, 325 lbs/person/year
15
Plastic packaging recycling rate 5% in U.S. 2022
Interpretation
Waste Management Interpretation
The staggering reality is that America's "throwaway culture" has created a monumental mess of 292 million tons of annual waste, yet with a paltry 32% recycling rate and dismal 5% plastic packaging recycling, we're still mostly just digging, burning, or burying our problems—quite literally into 2,463 active landfills and 600 million tons of construction debris—while letting precious resources like food and energy literally rot away in our homes and wastewater plants.
05 · Category
Water17 stats
01
U.S. public water utilities serve 86% of the population, delivering 39 billion gallons daily
02
Average daily per capita water use in U.S. households is 82 gallons
03
U.S. public water systems total 149,702, with 52,316 community systems
04
Wastewater treatment plants in U.S. number 16,000, treating 34 billion gallons daily
05
U.S. water utility revenue was $57.9 billion in 2021
06
Average residential water bill in U.S. was $48/month in 2022
07
Lead service lines in U.S. water utilities estimated at 6.1 million
08
PFAS detected in 45% of U.S. public water systems per 2023 EPA data
09
U.S. irrigation withdrawals totaled 118 billion gallons/day in 2015
10
Thermoelectric power plants withdrew 133 billion gallons/day for cooling in 2015
11
Global desalination capacity is 104 million m³/day, U.S. 25 million m³/day
12
U.S. combined sewer overflows discharged 850 billion gallons in 2021
13
Bottled water consumption in U.S. averaged 45 gallons per capita in 2022
14
Drought affected 40% of U.S. water utilities in 2022
15
U.S. water main breaks average 240,000 annually
16
Reclaimed water use in U.S. totals 1.9 billion gallons/day
17
Hayneville aquifer supplies 60% of Southeast U.S. water utilities
Interpretation
Water Interpretation
America's water story is a high-wire act of monumental scale, where we miraculously deliver billions of gallons daily to most homes for the cost of a streaming service, yet we're simultaneously patching a quarter-million leaks a year, wrestling with lead, 'forever chemicals,' and droughts, while irrigation and power plants guzzle enough water to fill great lakes every few days, all precariously balanced atop an ancient aquifer.
Reference
Cite This Report
This report is designed to be cited. We maintain stable URLs and versioned verification dates. Copy the format appropriate for your publication below.
APA
Kevin O'Brien. (2026, February 13). Utility Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/utility-statistics
MLA
Kevin O'Brien. "Utility Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/utility-statistics.
Chicago
Kevin O'Brien. 2026. "Utility Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/utility-statistics.
Sources & references
35 datasets cited across this report · attribution is report-level