August 12, 2026
Utility-scale battery energy storage system (BESS) capacity in the US has grown at an average annual rate of 70% over the past three years, reaching nearly 52GW of nameplate capacity by mid-2026, according to the EIA’s latest Preliminary Monthly Electric Generator Inventory. Image: US EIA.
Operators anticipate bringing an additional 54GW of battery storage capacity online over the next two and a half years, according to the US Energy Information Administration (EIA).
Utility-scale battery energy storage system (BESS) capacity in the US has grown at an average annual rate of 70% over the past three years, reaching nearly 52GW of nameplate capacity by mid-2026, according to the EIA’s latest Preliminary Monthly Electric Generator Inventory.
The US power system had 43.6GW of operational BESS capacity at the end of 2025. During the first six months of 2026, operators added another 8.3GW.
