Power use drops in the United States

Utility companies rely on an annual growth of about 1 percent to 2 percent in electricity consumption for their businesses. However, recent trends have shown a decrease, the Virginian-Pilot reported.

Decreasing consumption could change how utilities operate and their plans for the future.

Utilities are expected to invest $1.5 trillion to $2 trillion by 2030 to modernize their systems and meet future demand, according to an industry-funded study by the Brattle Group. If electricity demand continues to decline, however, utilities would be forced to make significant adjustments in their investment plans or build too much capacity.