SHOT/CHASER: As the U.S. Braces for Summer Heat Waves, High Electricity Bills Make It Harder For Families To Cool Their Homes

Washington, DC – While communities across the country brace for dangerous heat waves this summer, the cost of cooling is skyrocketing. This year has already broken records for extreme heat, with the last twelve months being the hottest on record since official records began in 1895. Heading into the summer, a potential “Super El Niño” will drive up temperatures even further. Meanwhile, under Trump, household electricity prices have spiked by 18% since January 2025, making it harder for families to cool their homes and stay safe during heat waves. Donald Trump’s war on clean energy has driven up electricity costs and taken enough energy to power 16.8 million homes offline, weakening the grid during extreme heat. 

SHOT: The Independent: Wet, Hot American Summer: Why this year’s El Niño could bring storms and record temperatures

As a result of the brewing “super El Niño,” which the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration expects to form between this month and July, global temperatures could hit a new record as the pattern continues through 2027.

CHASER: NPR: Summer electric bills sizzle as the cost of cooling climbs

Temperatures are climbing, and so is the price of electricity. That’s a one-two punch that could result in sharply higher utility bills this summer.

“Climate scientists think this could be the hottest summer on record or at least close to it,” says Mark Wolfe, who heads the National Energy Assistance Directors Association (NEADA). “So families need to use more of an increasingly expensive product to stay cool this summer. And that’s going to be tough.”