Electricity demand nationwide is down by approximately 13% since the beginning of February, a trend mirrored in Colorado and other Western states. During a similar period in 2019, the decline was roughly 7.0%.

An analysis from Colorado Legislative Council Staff found that “the primary trend from the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic has been greater residential usage and decreased commercial usage during the workweek. Weekend usage patterns appear similar to pre-pandemic trends.” The report also stated that low-income Coloradans appear to use more electricity during the pandemic compared to previous times.

The U.S. Energy Information Administration has estimated that an economic slowdown and business closures due to the pandemic will affect energy production into 2021. The agency anticipates coal production to drop by 22%, while the pandemic should not substantially affect natural gas production.

The American Council for an Energy Efficient Economy found that in 2019, per capita energy use dropped in the United States – a trend which the organization expects the pandemic to exacerbate. Executive director Steven Nadel said that COVID-19 could also disrupt attempts to retrofit homes and businesses for energy efficiency.

“Few people want contractors in their homes, and many contractors either do not want to work in potentially unsafe conditions or are prohibited by their states from doing so,” he observed.