need help setting up equation

Question

4. Today, the U.S. has the equivalent of 400 standard-sized 1000-megawatt power plants. If electrical energy consumption continues to rise at the present rate of 2.8%, how many additional 1000-megawatt power plants will be needed in 25 years to meet those need?

Answer 1

This is exponential growth.

 

PV (1+r)ⁿ

 

PV = starting value

r = growth rate expressed as a fraction

n = number of years

 

400 (1+.028)²⁵

So after 25 years we would need 798 1000-megawatt power plants

That would be 398 more than we have today.