The average lifetime cost of electricity from a new combined-cycle natural gas power plant in the United States has climbed 15.4 percent over the past year to a 15-year high, while utility-scale solar projects have become 18 percent more expensive, according to financial advisory firm Lazard.
According to Lazard’s report, released on July 13, the average unsubsidized cost of electricity from new utility-scale solar projects increased to about $69 per megawatt-hour, up from $58 per megawatt-hour in the 2025 edition.
Lazard’s average estimate for the lifetime cost of electricity from a new combined-cycle natural gas plant rose to $90 per megawatt-hour from $78 per megawatt-hour a year earlier. This is the highest level shown in Lazard’s results, which date back to 2009….