Americans Face More Rate Hikes as Trump Continues to Take Energy Options Off the Grid 

Washington, DC – Ahead of Donald Trump’s State of the Union address, American families are facing soaring utility bills as Trump and Republicans continue to gut clean energy projects across the country. Customers in Kentucky and Ohio could see their energy costs go up by as much as $30 per month in three years time. 

The rate hikes in Ohio come as Senator Jon Husted deals with the fallout from reports of his apparent connection to a massive bribery scandal that bailed out FirstEnergy while saddling Ohioans with higher energy costs. Meanwhile, Kentucky Power customers could face rate increases as the utility seeks to upgrade an aging coal plant. The Trump administration has propped up the coal industry, despite the fact that it could actually increase electricity costs, saddling American ratepayers with a $3-6 billion bill by the end of 2028.

Climate Power Senior Advisor Jesse Lee issued the following statement: “Next week, Trump will gaslight the country by claiming we have the greatest economy in history, but every month Americans are opening up higher utility bills thanks to his reckless energy policies. Republicans, like Senator Husted, knew that the GOP budget bill that took massive amounts of clean energy off the grid would raise costs for Americans – but they supported it anyway. Trump’s push to ban all energy sources except coal, oil, and gas is sending utility bills through the roof for everybody. This November, we’re going to make sure every Republican who cosigns Trump’s cost-raising energy agenda pays the price at the ballot box.” 

Donald Trump’s reckless energy policies are causing utility rates to skyrocket across the country: 

• North Dakotans will see their electricity bills increase by nearly $12 per month after the North Dakota PSC approved a rate hike for Xcel Energy. 

• The Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission approved rate hikes for customers of Wellsboro Electric, Valley Energy, and Citizens’ Electric Co. of Lewisburg that will raise electricity prices by as much as 18%. 

• Peoples Gas, which supplies natural gas to nearly 900,000 Chicagoans, is seeking a rate hike that would raise the average monthly bill by $10 to $11.

• Nicor Gas, which has 2.3 million customers in northern Illinois, is seeking a rate hike that would raise the average monthly bill by around $6. 

• In North Carolina, Piedmont Natural Gas customers were upset about sudden increases in their monthly bill, with some ratepayers complaining that their bills had doubled.

• Atmos Energy is asking the City of Dallas to approve a 10% rate hike for gas customers that would raise the average monthly bill by $11.25.