Cold weather boosts coal and gas output as renewable generation drops
In the week ending January 25, 2026, Winter Storm Fern brought severe cold to large parts of the United States. As temperatures dropped, electricity demand increased sharply across the Lower 48 states. To meet this demand, coal fired power plants played a larger role in electricity generation.
Coal fired electricity generation rose by 31 percent compared with the previous week. This increase stood in clear contrast to earlier weeks in January, when milder weather reduced heating needs and kept coal use lower than during the same period in 2025. The cold conditions created by the storm changed that trend quickly.
Natural gas also supported the power grid during the storm. Electricity generation from natural gas increased by 14 percent from the prior week. Together, coal and natural gas help offset reduced output from renewable energy sources. Solar, wind, and hydropower generation all declined during the storm, mainly because of weather-related limits such as reduced sunlight, weaker wind patterns, and frozen water systems. Nuclear power generation remained nearly unchanged.
During this period, coal accounted for 21 percent of total electricity generation in the Lower 48 states. This share was higher than the 17 percent recorded the week before. Natural gas remained the largest electricity source at 38 percent, while nuclear energy ranked third at 18 percent.
The event highlighted the role of coal power during extreme weather. Grid operators rely on coal plants because they can increase output quickly when electricity demand surges or when other energy sources are less available. This same pattern has been observed during earlier cold weather events, including severe winter conditions in February 2021 and January 2025.
Overall, Winter Storm Fern showed how different energy sources respond during extreme weather. While renewable energy remains important, coal and natural gas continue to provide stability and reliability when the power system faces sudden stress from cold temperatures.
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