Record U.S. Power Use, Williams Companies, China's LNG Purchases: Your Daily Energy News

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News highlights gathered by Industrial Info and IIR Energy (Sugar Land, Texas) dealing with the energy markets.

POWER
EIA: U.S. Power Use to Beat Record Highs in 2026, 2027 - U.S. power consumption, which hit its second straight record high in 2025, will rise further in 2026 and 2027, the Energy Information Administration (EIA) said in its Short-Term Energy Outlook on Tuesday. The EIA projected power demand will rise from a record 4,195 billion kilowatt-hours (kWh) in 2025 to 4,268 billion kWh in 2026 and 4,372 billion kWh in 2027. (Reuters)

LNG
Analysts: China Set to Increase LNG Purchases This Year - China is set to buy 3% to 10% more liquefied natural gas (LNG) this year versus last, or roughly 70.5 million to 75.5 million metric tons, according to analysts at five firms. But even the most optimistic forecasts are still below 2024 levels following a rare 10% decline in imports last year due to a mild winter and weak industrial demand. It was the only time imports fell over the past decade outside the pandemic. (Reuters)

PIPELINES
Williams Predicts Higher 2026 Profit as Pipeline Projects Drive Growth - U.S. pipeline operator Williams Companies on Tuesday forecast 2026 profit above analysts' expectations as new pipeline and offshore projects drive growth and natural gas demand continues to rise. Williams expects its 2026 adjusted earnings to be between $2.20 and $2.38 per share, compared with the average of analysts' estimates of $2.28 per share, according to data compiled by LSEG. Williams also increased its annual dividend by 5% to $2.10 per share for 2026. Williams completed 1.1 billion cubic feet per day (Bcf/d) of pipeline transmission projects in 2025, while another 7.1 Bcf/d of projects are currently in execution. The company expects 2026 growth capital spending of between $6.1 billion and $6.7 billion. (Reuters)

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Energy asset information on power plants, oil refineries and natural gas infrastructure is now more important than ever. A unit of Industrial Info Resources, IIR Energy provides infrastructure information on these assets, as well as real-time tracking of planned and unplanned interruptions affecting the commodity-trading community. We are the number one source for information about power plant outages, refinery turnarounds and midstream natural gas disruptions.

About Industrial Info Resources
Industrial Info Resources (IIR) is the leading provider of industrial market intelligence. Since 1983, IIR has provided comprehensive research, news and analysis on the industrial process, manufacturing and energy related industries. IIR's Global Market Intelligence (GMI) helps companies identify and pursue trends across multiple markets with access to real, qualified and validated plant and project opportunities. Across the world, IIR is tracking over 200,000 current and future projects worth $17.8 trillion (USD).