PowerLines’ new report documents historic utility rate increase requests, which stand to impact 81 million Americans as utility bills become the fastest driver of inflation 

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, PowerLines published “Utility Bills are Rising: 2025 Review,” a comprehensive review of utility bill trends and the state of energy affordability in 2025.

PowerLines’ year-end analysis finds that electric and gas utilities requested nearly $31 billion in rate increases in 2025, more than double the $15 billion in rate increases requested in 2024. These rate increase requests will affect the utility bills of 81 million Americans, contributing to rising financial anxiety for American consumers at a time when cost-of-living concerns are top of mind. 

“In 2025, rising utility bills became a defining national issue—first an energy story, then an economic one, and now a political one. Electricity is the new eggs,” said Charles Hua, Founder and Executive Director of PowerLines. “As these costs keep climbing, policymakers of all political stripes will face growing pressure to take action and advance solutions to improve our grid and lower utility bills for American consumers and businesses.” 

Key takeaways from the report include:

• In 2025, electric and gas utilities requested nearly $31 billion in rate increases, more than double the $15 billion in rate increases requested by utilities in 2024.
• These rate increases will affect 81 million Americans, contributing to rising financial anxiety for American consumers at a time when cost-of-living concerns are reaching a boiling point. 
• Since 2021, electricity prices have increased by nearly 40 percent, with residential retail electricity prices increasing by 7 percent and piped gas prices increasing by 11 percent in 2025 alone.
• Electricity and gas prices are not only outpacing inflation, but are now the fastest drivers of inflation, surpassing other expenses including groceries, gasoline, vehicles, and medicine.
• Utility bills are poised to be a defining issue in the 2026 midterms, with 4 in 5 Americans feeling powerless over these costs and 3 in 4 Americans concerned about rising utility bills.

Energy experts and consumer advocates across the country are also sounding the alarm on rising utility bills:

Kent Chandler, Senior Resident Fellow, R Street Institute and Former Chairman, Kentucky Public Service Commission: “The experience of 2025 should be a wake up call to the states about the importance of empowered and well-resourced utility commissions. Without the authority, personnel and technical capability to test and if necessary, deny utility spending requests the march of ever-increasing utility bills will continue. For well-resourced and engaged utility commissions, efforts to reduce residents’ energy burdens through introducing competition or active regulation to mitigate bill impacts should be at the top of the 2026 agenda.”

Karen Onaran, President and CEO, Electricity Consumers Resource Council (ELCON): “The acceleration of utility rate increase requests documented in this report is alarming. The soaring cost of electric power poses a significant risk for the future well-being of the U.S. commercial and industrial sector, which depends on low-cost, reliable electricity. The old regulatory paradigm is in desperate need of an overhaul. Our members are ready to roll up their sleeves.”

Sarah Moskowitz, Executive Director, Citizens Utility Board of Illinois: “Escalating utility costs just create more hardship for people already struggling with high prices across the board for everyday necessities like groceries and health care. Under traditional regulatory frameworks, gas and electric utilities earn more by spending more, so rate-hike-hungry utilities are constantly pushing for ever-higher investments that in turn drive up our bills.  But consumers can be empowered to work for solutions, rein in reckless spending, and hold utilities more accountable.”

PowerLines is a nonpartisan consumer education nonprofit organization that aims to modernize the utility regulatory system for American energy consumers to lower utility bills and grow the economy.