U.S. natural gas storage capacity increased in 2024
Underground working natural gas storage capacity in the Lower 48 states increased in 2024 according to our latest data. We calculate natural gas storage capacity in two ways: demonstrated peak capacity and working gas design capacity. Both increased in 2024. Underground natural gas storage provides a source of energy when demand increases, balancing U.S. energy needs. In 2024, demonstrated peak capacity rose 1.7%, or 70 billion cubic feet (Bcf), to 4,277 Bcf, while working gas design capacity increased slightly by 0.1%, or 3 Bcf.
Underground Natural Gas Working Storage Capacity
(Wed, 07 May 2025) This annual report calculates underground natural gas storage capacity as of November 2024 and explains how changes in storage capacity relate to market circumstances. Natural gas storage capacity increased in 2024 compared with 2023 by about 1.7%, according to the demonstrated peak capacity metric used to assess working natural gas storage capacity. Design capacity increased slightly, by 0.1%, since 2023.
U.S. natural gas inventories in underground storage ended winter at a three-year low
After a relatively warm start to the 2024–25 winter heating season (November–March), colder-than-normal temperatures across much of the United States in January and February resulted in increased consumption of natural gas and more withdrawals from U.S. natural gas storage than normal. By the end of March, the least amount of natural gas was held in U.S. underground storage in the Lower 48 states since 2022, with inventories 4% lower than the previous five-year average for that time of year, according to our Weekly Natural Gas Storage Report.
Solar, battery storage to lead new U.S. generating capacity additions in 2025
We expect 63 gigawatts (GW) of new utility-scale electric-generating capacity to be added to the U.S. power grid in 2025 in our latest Preliminary Monthly Electric Generator Inventory report. This amount represents an almost 30% increase from 2024 when 48.6 GW of capacity was installed, the largest capacity installation in a single year since 2002. Together, solar and battery storage account for 81% of the expected total capacity additions, with solar making up over 50% of the increase.
Recent cold snap results in fourth-largest withdrawal from underground natural gas storage
Colder-than-normal temperatures across much of the United States in mid-January increased natural gas consumption, resulting in the fourth-largest reported weekly withdrawal from natural gas storage in the Lower 48 states, according to our Weekly Natural Gas Storage Report (WNGSR). During the week ending January 24, 2025, stocks fell by 321 billion cubic feet (Bcf), which was nearly 70% more than the five-year (2020–24) average withdrawal for the same week in January. With withdrawals in January totaling nearly 1,000 Bcf, U.S. natural gas inventories are now 4% below their previous five-year average after being 6% above the five-year average at the