Americans Face Rate Hikes Thanks to Trump’s Energy Policies Ahead of His State of the Union Address

According to Climate Power’s February Energy Crisis Snapshot, Trump has canceled or delayed enough projects to power more than 14 million homes

Washington, DC – In the last few days, customers in South Dakota, Texas, and West Virginia learned their energy costs could increase by as much as $25 per month, or $300 per year. The rate hikes come just days before Trump takes the stage to spin his disastrous economic agenda that has already left American families struggling to pay their utility bills. 

Republican Senator John Cornyn, whose constituents could see their rates go up by almost $14 per month, voted to gut energy projects in the Lone Star State. Trump and Republicans have taken a sledgehammer to clean energy options in red and blue states across the country, leaving Americans with soaring utility bills and a vulnerable grid. 

Climate Power Senior Advisor Jesse Lee issued the following statement: “Tomorrow night, Trump is going to gaslight the American people by claiming he has ‘won’ on affordability, but these rate hikes just keep piling up. Americans are tired of opening higher utility bills, and Trump and Republicans keep making the problem even worse by taking energy off the grid when we need it more than ever.” 

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

• Kentucky Power submitted an application to the Kentucky Public Service Commission to add $4.59 to the average customer bill by 2029 to pay for the replacement of a cooling tower at one of its coal plants.

• The Public Utilities Commission of Ohio approved revised rate increases for FirstEnergy companies, which will go into effect on March 1. Illuminating Company customers were expected to see an $11.60 monthly increase and Ohio Edison customers were expected to see a $2.88 monthly increase. 

• 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.