ICYMI: Soaring Power Bills from New York to Texas are Becoming a Liability for Republicans
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Washington, D.C. – Bloomberg reported that surging utility bills in key battleground states are threatening to become a political liability for Republicans heading into upcoming elections. Trump vowed repeatedly to halve power prices within 12 months of taking office and double electricity capacity. Instead, residential electricity prices have climbed about 10% from January until May and are projected to rise another 5.8% next year, according to the Energy Information Administration.
The Center for American Progress warned in a new issue brief that clean energy is all the more imperative to our energy mix because fossil fuel plants are increasingly failing Americans—breaking down in extreme heat, driving up bills, and leaving families vulnerable.
Financial Times wrote a similar story, and cited Trump’s pledge to bring bills down during his campaign: “Twelve months from January 20th . . . your electric bill, including cars, air conditioners, heating, everything, your total electric bill will be 50 per cent less. We are going to cut it in half and we have the power to do it,” he said in a speech at the Detroit Economic Club on October 10.
President Donald Trump’s strategy of blaming renewable energy for surging electricity costs may have a hard time gaining traction as the issue of rising utility bills shapes up to be a key issue at the ballot box.
Last week alone saw the Republican Rate Hike in action in Texas, Virginia, and New York.
Texas
The Houston Chronicle reported this week that more than 100,000 Houston residents applied for just 5,000 available slots through a federal utility assistance program, underscoring a mounting affordability crisis in the region. The article contrasts to applications received in a typical year: BakerRipley, a local nonprofit that administers federal assistance, receives between 20,000 and 25,000 applications for assistance, just more than the 15,000 to 20,000 households it’s able to help annually.
Virginia
The U.S. Sun reports that Dominion Energy is seeking a 15% electricity rate increase in September, which could equate to $257 more per year for customers. Should the SCC approve the request on September 2, it would mean a 15% increase to customers’ electricity bills. As of April, average monthly electricity costs for Virginia residents was about $153.22. With the increase, an additional $21.43 per month would be added to bills by 2027. For the entire year, it would be about a $257 bump in costs.
Virginia Democratic gubernatorial candidate Abigail Spanberger’s campaign is out with a six-figure ad buy attacking Republican Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears for supporting Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill Act. The ad, which will be running in the Richmond and Norfolk TV markets, claims the bill will raise health care and energy costs for some Americans.
New York
New York energy company ramps up disconnections as it seeks 11% price hike
Your NYC electric bill may be skyrocketing. Here’s what you can do.
The Guardian and Gothamist report on Con Edison’s request for an 11% rate hike, spurring a sharp rise in disconnections. The Gothamist writes that National Grid rates saw an increase in September 2024 and April of this year, and will rise again in 2026 as well — for a roughly 40% cumulative hit. The Guardian reports that over 88,000 households were disconnected between January and June 2025—a threefold increase from 2024. These disconnections signal a crackdown on families struggling to cover rising energy costs even as the climate crisis drives extreme temperatures. Disconnections are disproportionately affecting low-income and minority residents, especially during extreme heat events, raising serious concerns about energy equity.