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Negative pricing increases electricity use but challenges grid stability

Nature Energy volume 11, pages 34–35 (2026)Cite this article

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When electricity supply exceeds demand, consumers can be paid to use electricity through negative pricing. Simulations based on national surveys indicate that such pricing could double electricity loads in many US counties. However, market policies and grids must be carefully designed to avoid destabilizing the power grid with demand surges.

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Fig. 1: Impact of negative pricing on residential load demand.

References

  1. Seel, J., Millstein, D., Mills, A., Bolinger, M. & Wiser, R. Plentiful electricity turns wholesale prices negative. Adv. Appl. Energy 4, 100073 (2021). This paper reports the frequency of negative electricity pricing events in the USA.

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This is a summary of: Yang, Y. et al. Shaping residential electricity demand with negative pricing. Nat. Energy https://doi.org/10.1038/s41560-025-01901-x (2025).

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Negative pricing increases electricity use but challenges grid stability. Nat Energy 11, 34–35 (2026). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41560-025-01928-0

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