EIA May electricity data: generation up 3.1%, coal stocks up 2.9%

What the source reports

The U.S. Energy Information Administration published its Electricity Monthly Update on July 23, 2026, with data for May 2026. The update describes several indicators that help readers understand how the U.S. power system entered the summer season. Net electricity generation in the United States increased 3.1% compared with May 2025. The same release reported that total U.S. coal stockpiles rose 2.9% from the previous month to 120 million tons. In Texas, the Electric Reliability Council of Texas, or ERCOT, saw daily peak electricity demand move near the upper end of its twelve-month range as summer heat began building.

These figures are different kinds of information. The generation comparison is a year-over-year measure: it compares May 2026 output with May 2025 output. The coal-stock figure is a month-over-month inventory comparison. The ERCOT observation is a regional demand signal rather than a national production total. Keeping those definitions separate prevents a reader from treating a higher inventory number as if it were the same thing as higher electricity generation or a forecast of future power prices.