Coal expected to surpass natural gas this winter in two U.S. markets

Two regional electricity markets in the United States are expected to generate more electricity from coal than from natural gas between December 2025 and February 2026. These are the Southwest Power Pool (SPP) and the Midcontinent Independent System Operator (MISO), two operators covering a large part of the U.S. Midwest. This seasonal trend is confirmed by projections from the latest Short-Term Energy Outlook report published by the U.S. Energy Information Administration.