The early years of the rural electric cooperative program saw large gains in average residential electricity usage as consumers added appliances and air conditioning to their homes. From 1948 to 1978, the average annual increase was over 7 percent. Since 1978, however, the annual growth rate has averaged less than 1 percent. Though consumers continue to add electricity-using devices to their homes, the impact on consumption is often offset by improvements in energy efficiency as older appliances are replaced.

Source: Rural Utilities Service, Cooperative Finance Corporation, 2014