Americans are becoming more worried about the power grid, but they are willing to do something about it. A new report shows 4 out of 5 survey respondents are concerned about grid safety as electricity demand increases and the threat of power outages looms.
The 2025 Pulse Report by professional services firm WSP also found 65% of respondents would be willing to pay more for electricity if it would make the grid more reliable. The survey of 2,080 adults reveals growing anxiety about America’s electrical infrastructure. Nearly 78% of Americans expressed concern about expanding grid capacity to meet rising power demand, while 83% worry about electricity affordability.
What are the key findings of the Pulse Report?
Mike Case, power and energy executive and senior vice president at WSP, said the survey results demonstrate “overwhelming support” for energy infrastructure projects, provided that they make the grid more reliable.
“While the data suggests overwhelming support, it doesn’t say anything about it being easy to gain that support,” Case told Straight Arrow News.
Grid safety concerns have intensified since WSP’s 2023 survey, with 80% of Americans now worried about vulnerability to extreme weather — up two points from two years ago. Power outages remain a persistent worry, with 78% of Americans concerned about dependable electricity service.
Despite concerns about costs, Americans prioritize reliability over affordability. Nearly 70% express confidence their local utility can prevent outages during natural disasters, and 69% believe the federal government should invest more in battery storage to make the grid more resilient.
Americans also increasingly favor streamlined federal oversight of critical grid projects, with 71% supporting faster federal permitting for essential infrastructure even if it reduces local government control.
What is driving public opinion?
According to Case, the survey results reflect the fact that energy issues such as AI data centers, electrification and reshoring manufacturing are “front and center right now” in the news.
Electricity demand is expected to rise sharply in the coming years driven largely by data centers. The International Energy Agency projects global energy demand from data centers will double by 2030, consuming electricity equivalent to Japan’s entire current usage.
Case said so much infrastructure is needed to meet increasing demand that energy-related projects are being proposed or built near virtually every community in the United States.
At the same time, weather-related power outages have also become a common fear for many Americans. Case also attributes this to recent events such as hurricanes that knock down power lines to wildfires that can be caused by downed power lines.
Will the public support energy infrastructure projects?
Nearly 93% of respondents said they would back projects that make the grid more reliable in their communities, and 92% support projects that help the U.S. meet growing power demand overall.
And 94% of respondents said they would support new transmission projects — the high-voltage power lines that transport power over long distances — if they helped lower electricity costs over time.
However, the survey results aren’t reflective of reality. For example, the Grain Belt Express transmission line has faced vigorous opposition and recently lost federal funding.
For the Grain Belt Express, Case pointed to the scale of the project stretching 800 miles across multiple states, which means there are more potential opponents.
While the survey shows support for projects that enhance grid reliability and lead to more affordable power in the long term, “the reality of getting those stars to align is the challenge we face in the industry right now,” Case said.
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