Electricity scarcity returning as an economic constraint
Tracking demand growth, grid tightness, energy prices, and the supply response across solar, clean energy, and nuclear.
Updated yesterday.
Demand
Industrial production index for electric and gas utilities — tracks total generation volume.
124.3Index
Trend YoY growth is +0.7%, slowing by 1 bps/year over the last 25Y. Latest: +1.3%, 55 bps above trend, a 0.19σ deviation. The latest YoY reading is depressed by 1.4 pp due to an tough comparison base from Jul '25. At current levels, YoY would rise to +27.0% by Sep '26 as comparisons ease.
Level
YoY %
y = 0.9% − 1 bps/yr · t
Deviation from trend
Broad industrial output drives electricity demand from factories, semiconductor plants, and reshoring.
103.0Index
Trend YoY growth is +0.4%, slowing by 0 bps/year over the last 25Y. Deviations have remained above trend for 14 consecutive periods. Latest: +1.1%, 66 bps above trend, a 0.26σ deviation. The latest YoY reading is depressed by 1.5 pp due to an tough comparison base from Jul '25. At current levels, YoY would rise to +1.8% by Sep '26 as comparisons ease.
Level
YoY %
y = 0.5% − 0 bps/yr · t
Deviation from trend
Market's real-time pricing of the utility sector — rises when investors expect higher electricity demand and earnings.
$43.1
Trend YoY growth is +13.3%, accelerating by 63 bps/year over the last 9Y. Deviations have remained below trend for 26 consecutive periods. Latest: +3.0%, 10.3 pp below trend, a 1.8σ deviation. The latest YoY reading is depressed by 4.4 pp due to an tough comparison base from Aug '25.
Level
YoY %
y = 7.7% + 63 bps/yr · t
Deviation from trend
Tightness
Independent power producer with gas and nuclear fleet — outperforms when grid scarcity drives power prices higher.
$137.1
Trend YoY growth is +105.6%, accelerating by 13.0 pp/year over the last 9Y. Deviations have remained below trend for 243 consecutive periods. Latest: -27.6%, 133.2 pp below trend, a 7.1σ deviation. The latest YoY reading is depressed by 37.5 pp due to an tough comparison base from Aug '25.
Level
YoY %
y = −10.2% + 13.0 pp/yr · t
Deviation from trend
Largest U.S. nuclear fleet operator — data center power deals signal tightness in clean baseload supply.
$275.8
Trend YoY growth is +34.5%, slowing by 14.3 pp/year over the last 4Y. Deviations have remained below trend for 82 consecutive periods. Latest: -10.6%, 45.1 pp below trend, a 2.8σ deviation. The latest YoY reading is depressed by 12.5 pp due to an tough comparison base from Aug '25.
Level
YoY %
y = 86.0% − 14.3 pp/yr · t
Deviation from trend
Largest U.S. utility by market cap — tracks clean energy capacity buildout against rising load.
$84.0
Trend YoY growth is +4.6%, slowing by 2.5 pp/year over the last 9Y. Deviations have remained above trend for 202 consecutive periods. Latest: +13.2%, 8.7 pp above trend, a 1.1σ deviation. The latest YoY reading is boosted by 7.8 pp due to an easy comparison base from Aug '25.
Level
YoY %
y = 27.1% − 2.5 pp/yr · t
Deviation from trend
Price
Best household and business pain metric — average cents per kilowatt-hour across all sectors.
0.20¢/kWh
Trend YoY growth is +3.7%, accelerating by 4 bps/year over the last 25Y. Latest: +3.7%, 2 bps below trend, a 0.00σ deviation. The latest YoY reading is depressed by 2.5 pp due to an tough comparison base from Jul '25. At current levels, YoY would rise to +4.8% by Sep '26 as comparisons ease.
Level
YoY %
y = 2.7% + 4 bps/yr · t
Deviation from trend
Natural gas often sets marginal power prices in the U.S. — the key input cost for electricity generation.
$2.8
Trend YoY growth is 1.1x, slowing by 1 bps/year over the last 26Y. Deviations have remained below trend for 52 consecutive periods. Latest: 1.0x, 13.1 pp below trend, a 0.60σ deviation. The latest YoY reading is depressed by 28.2 pp due to an tough comparison base from Aug '25.
Level
YoY %
y = 11.8% − 1 bps/yr · t
Deviation from trend
Oil prices propagate through energy costs, transportation, and inflation — an upstream driver of electricity costs.
$86.5
Trend YoY growth is 1.1x, slowing by 33 bps/year over the last 26Y. Deviations have remained above trend for 27 consecutive periods. Latest: 1.4x, 30.5 pp above trend, a 1.6σ deviation. The latest YoY reading is boosted by 21.2 pp due to an easy comparison base from Aug '25.
Level
YoY %
y = 14.3% − 33 bps/yr · t
Deviation from trend
Supply Response
Tracks solar energy companies — the fastest-growing source of new U.S. electricity capacity.
$49.3
Trend YoY growth is +2.7%, slowing by 4.9 pp/year over the last 9Y. Deviations have remained above trend for 223 consecutive periods. Latest: +17.8%, 15.1 pp above trend, a 0.56σ deviation. The latest YoY reading is boosted by 8.2 pp due to an easy comparison base from Aug '25.
Level
YoY %
y = 46.7% − 4.9 pp/yr · t
Deviation from trend
Broad clean energy basket spanning solar, wind, and batteries — the market's read on supply buildout.
$17.7
Trend YoY growth is +8.3%, slowing by 1.7 pp/year over the last 9Y. Deviations have remained above trend for 224 consecutive periods. Latest: +21.6%, 13.3 pp above trend, a 0.72σ deviation. The latest YoY reading is boosted by 7.1 pp due to an easy comparison base from Aug '25.
Level
YoY %
y = 23.7% − 1.7 pp/yr · t
Deviation from trend
World's largest public uranium producer — rising price signals nuclear renaissance as baseload supply response.
$100.8
Trend YoY growth is +74.9%, accelerating by 8.3 pp/year over the last 9Y. Deviations have remained below trend for 54 consecutive periods. Latest: +34.8%, 40.1 pp below trend, a 0.82σ deviation. The latest YoY reading is depressed by 10.8 pp due to an tough comparison base from Aug '25.
Level
YoY %
y = −0.1% + 8.3 pp/yr · t
Deviation from trend
Key Insight
The energy sector is splitting into two distinct stories — a massive re-rating of traditional utility business models versus actual energy production fundamentals that remain only modestly above trend — and the divergence is historically extreme.
Electricity scarcity returning as an economic constraint
Tracking demand growth, grid tightness, energy prices, and the supply response across solar, clean energy, and nuclear.
Updated yesterday.
Demand
Industrial production index for electric and gas utilities — tracks total generation volume.
124.3Index
Trend YoY growth is +0.7%, slowing by 1 bps/year over the last 25Y. Latest: +1.3%, 55 bps above trend, a 0.19σ deviation. The latest YoY reading is depressed by 1.4 pp due to an tough comparison base from Jul '25. At current levels, YoY would rise to +27.0% by Sep '26 as comparisons ease.
Level
YoY %
y = 0.9% − 1 bps/yr · t
Deviation from trend
Broad industrial output drives electricity demand from factories, semiconductor plants, and reshoring.
103.0Index
Trend YoY growth is +0.4%, slowing by 0 bps/year over the last 25Y. Deviations have remained above trend for 14 consecutive periods. Latest: +1.1%, 66 bps above trend, a 0.26σ deviation. The latest YoY reading is depressed by 1.5 pp due to an tough comparison base from Jul '25. At current levels, YoY would rise to +1.8% by Sep '26 as comparisons ease.
Level
YoY %
y = 0.5% − 0 bps/yr · t
Deviation from trend
Market's real-time pricing of the utility sector — rises when investors expect higher electricity demand and earnings.
$43.1
Trend YoY growth is +13.3%, accelerating by 63 bps/year over the last 9Y. Deviations have remained below trend for 26 consecutive periods. Latest: +3.0%, 10.3 pp below trend, a 1.8σ deviation. The latest YoY reading is depressed by 4.4 pp due to an tough comparison base from Aug '25.
Level
YoY %
y = 7.7% + 63 bps/yr · t
Deviation from trend
Tightness
Independent power producer with gas and nuclear fleet — outperforms when grid scarcity drives power prices higher.
$137.1
Trend YoY growth is +105.6%, accelerating by 13.0 pp/year over the last 9Y. Deviations have remained below trend for 243 consecutive periods. Latest: -27.6%, 133.2 pp below trend, a 7.1σ deviation. The latest YoY reading is depressed by 37.5 pp due to an tough comparison base from Aug '25.
Level
YoY %
y = −10.2% + 13.0 pp/yr · t
Deviation from trend
Largest U.S. nuclear fleet operator — data center power deals signal tightness in clean baseload supply.
$275.8
Trend YoY growth is +34.5%, slowing by 14.3 pp/year over the last 4Y. Deviations have remained below trend for 82 consecutive periods. Latest: -10.6%, 45.1 pp below trend, a 2.8σ deviation. The latest YoY reading is depressed by 12.5 pp due to an tough comparison base from Aug '25.
Level
YoY %
y = 86.0% − 14.3 pp/yr · t
Deviation from trend
Largest U.S. utility by market cap — tracks clean energy capacity buildout against rising load.
$84.0
Trend YoY growth is +4.6%, slowing by 2.5 pp/year over the last 9Y. Deviations have remained above trend for 202 consecutive periods. Latest: +13.2%, 8.7 pp above trend, a 1.1σ deviation. The latest YoY reading is boosted by 7.8 pp due to an easy comparison base from Aug '25.
Level
YoY %
y = 27.1% − 2.5 pp/yr · t
Deviation from trend
Price
Best household and business pain metric — average cents per kilowatt-hour across all sectors.
0.20¢/kWh
Trend YoY growth is +3.7%, accelerating by 4 bps/year over the last 25Y. Latest: +3.7%, 2 bps below trend, a 0.00σ deviation. The latest YoY reading is depressed by 2.5 pp due to an tough comparison base from Jul '25. At current levels, YoY would rise to +4.8% by Sep '26 as comparisons ease.
Level
YoY %
y = 2.7% + 4 bps/yr · t
Deviation from trend
Natural gas often sets marginal power prices in the U.S. — the key input cost for electricity generation.
$2.8
Trend YoY growth is 1.1x, slowing by 1 bps/year over the last 26Y. Deviations have remained below trend for 52 consecutive periods. Latest: 1.0x, 13.1 pp below trend, a 0.60σ deviation. The latest YoY reading is depressed by 28.2 pp due to an tough comparison base from Aug '25.
Level
YoY %
y = 11.8% − 1 bps/yr · t
Deviation from trend
Oil prices propagate through energy costs, transportation, and inflation — an upstream driver of electricity costs.
$86.5
Trend YoY growth is 1.1x, slowing by 33 bps/year over the last 26Y. Deviations have remained above trend for 27 consecutive periods. Latest: 1.4x, 30.5 pp above trend, a 1.6σ deviation. The latest YoY reading is boosted by 21.2 pp due to an easy comparison base from Aug '25.
Level
YoY %
y = 14.3% − 33 bps/yr · t
Deviation from trend
Supply Response
Tracks solar energy companies — the fastest-growing source of new U.S. electricity capacity.
$49.3
Trend YoY growth is +2.7%, slowing by 4.9 pp/year over the last 9Y. Deviations have remained above trend for 223 consecutive periods. Latest: +17.8%, 15.1 pp above trend, a 0.56σ deviation. The latest YoY reading is boosted by 8.2 pp due to an easy comparison base from Aug '25.
Level
YoY %
y = 46.7% − 4.9 pp/yr · t
Deviation from trend
Broad clean energy basket spanning solar, wind, and batteries — the market's read on supply buildout.
$17.7
Trend YoY growth is +8.3%, slowing by 1.7 pp/year over the last 9Y. Deviations have remained above trend for 224 consecutive periods. Latest: +21.6%, 13.3 pp above trend, a 0.72σ deviation. The latest YoY reading is boosted by 7.1 pp due to an easy comparison base from Aug '25.
Level
YoY %
y = 23.7% − 1.7 pp/yr · t
Deviation from trend
World's largest public uranium producer — rising price signals nuclear renaissance as baseload supply response.
$100.8
Trend YoY growth is +74.9%, accelerating by 8.3 pp/year over the last 9Y. Deviations have remained below trend for 54 consecutive periods. Latest: +34.8%, 40.1 pp below trend, a 0.82σ deviation. The latest YoY reading is depressed by 10.8 pp due to an tough comparison base from Aug '25.
Level
YoY %
y = −0.1% + 8.3 pp/yr · t
Deviation from trend