Utility Costs Are Rising Nationwide, Including Virginia

By Stacy M. Brown
NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent

Americans across nearly every region of the country are paying more to keep the lights on and the heat running, according to a new nationwide analysis that shows electric and natural gas rate increases spreading deeper into households from coast to coast.

“There are several reasons why utilities are raising rates so rapidly, including the need to modernize the aging electric grid, which has been burdened by extreme weather events made more frequent and costly due to climate change and growing energy demand due to artificial intelligence data centers,” Center for American Progress (CAP) researchers declared. “At the same time, higher natural gas costs and a policy assault on new clean energy generation from the Trump administration are driving energy costs even higher.”

Two out of every three electric customers and more than six in ten natural gas customers are now facing higher bills.

An updated utility rate tracker released by the CAP in collaboration with the Natural Resources Defense Council shows that roughly two out of every three electric customers and more than six in ten natural gas customers are now facing higher bills. The increases affect more than 108 million electricity customers and nearly 49 million natural gas customers across 49 states and Washington, D.C., with total added costs approaching $85.8 billion by 2028.

The impact varies sharply by state. In Missouri, some households are seeing monthly electricity increases exceeding $45, while parts of Massachusetts and Arkansas face projected increases of more than $30 a month. In Texas, customers served by multiple utilities are absorbing monthly increases ranging from single digits to more than $20, depending on provider and region. Florida electric customers in some service areas are seeing increases above $30 per month, while households in Michigan, Virginia, and Ohio are facing steady upward adjustments tied to both electric and natural gas service.

The report points to several drivers behind the rising costs. Utilities across the country are investing billions to upgrade aging infrastructure, much of it stressed by extreme weather and rising demand. At the same time, growing electricity consumption from artificial intelligence data centers is placing additional strain on regional grids.