New polling by PowerLines, a nonpartisan consumer education nonprofit, reveals the toll of rising utility bills on American energy consumers. Nearly 3 in 4 Americans are concerned about utility bills rising this year, with a majority reporting that utility bills are adding to their financial stress. Yet, few Americans can name the government body that determines their utility bill—namely, their state public utilities commission. Notably, 4 in 5 Americans feel powerless to do anything about these rising utility bills, with a majority also indicating they do not understand the charges on their utility bills.
American energy consumers have reason to be concerned about rising utility bills. In the first quarter of 2025 alone, utilities requested or received approval for rate increases totaling approximately $20 billion, as new data analysis from PowerLines demonstrates.
This situation is untenable, writes PowerLines in this white paper based on the survey results.
“Unlike other economic forces putting upward pressure on consumer costs, rising utility bills can and must be addressed by existing regulatory structures, namely state PUCs. While the factor driving rising utility bills vary by region, the end result is the same: American energy consumers are stressed out about rising utility bills and concerned about what these trends mean for the broader economy. In an era of unprecedented growth in electricity demand not seen at this scale in decades, ensuring that consumer perspectives are central to utility regulatory decision making—both in process and outcome—is key to restoring a system that serves the public interest and maintains the trust of consumers.”
Download the white paper and listen to Elisa Wood’s podcast interview with Charles Hua, founder and executive director of PowerLines.
Credit: Utility Bills Are Rising, PowerLines
