FERC report: renewables dominate new U.S. generation additions (2025-08-27)

The latest numbers

FERC’s monthly infrastructure report indicates the U.S. added over 15 GW of utility‑scale capacity in the first five months of 2025: ~11.5 GW solar, ~2.3 GW wind, and ~1.3 GW gas. As industry coverage summarizes, renewables supplied 91% of those additions. The capacity mix overall is still led by natural gas (43%), with coal just under 15%, solar a bit over 11%, wind ~11.8%, and nuclear ~7.7%.

FERC’s forward view lists “high‑probability” additions through 2028 totalling ~133 GW — roughly 90 GW solar, 23 GW wind, and 20 GW gas — signaling sustained build‑out but also a continued role for dispatchable thermal capacity. Transmission completions (e.g., ~244 miles added, including 160 miles of 345 kV in Colorado) are reported separately in the same dataset.

Method note: FERC’s dataset focuses on utility‑scale resources; behind‑the‑meter solar and battery storage are not included in these tallies, so total renewable momentum is likely understated when distributed assets are considered. See the May 2025 Energy Infrastructure Update on the FERC site.

Implications for construction, EPCs, and trades

• Solar EPC demand: balance‑of‑plant (pile foundations, trackers, inverters, MV collection), interconnection substations, and O&M facilities.
• Wind: heavy‑lift cranage, deep foundations, component logistics; repowering markets (hub/rotor upgrades) add specialized opportunities.
• Gas‑fired capacity: targeted deployments (peakers/CCGTs) in load‑growth regions; specs increasingly call for carbon‑readiness and enhanced emissions controls.
• Transmission: interconnection/deliverability constraints persist; line uprates, advanced conductors, and grid‑enhancing technologies remain near‑term pathways while large corridors navigate permitting and cost allocation.

Risk factors

• Policy volatility: tax credits and permitting reforms can affect financing and schedules; scenario planning recommended.
• Equipment lead times: transformers, breakers, and switchgear remain long‑lead — front‑load procurement.
• Queue reforms: despite ISO process updates, network upgrades and cost allocation can still be gating items.

Primary sources

• Utility Dive recap → https://www.utilitydive.com/
• FERC Energy Infrastructure Update (May 2025) → https://www.ferc.gov/