PowerLines

American households are paying nearly 40% more for electricity today than in 2021, according to a report from PowerLines, a nonpartisan consumer education nonprofit.

Utilities are planning $1.4 trillion in capital spending through 2030 to keep up with AI-driven electricity demand. A new @forbes.com piece cites PowerLines research on what the AI buildout means for grid reliability and consumers’ bottom lines.

⚡ @fortune.com cited PowerLines' Q1 2026 report in a new piece on surging electricity prices, which are up nearly 40% since 2021. Data centers aren't the only culprit: an aging grid, extreme weather, and the utility spending model all factor in.

Public Utility Commissions regulate what customers pay for electricity, yet few people know they exist or how they work. @consumerreports.org published a timely explainer on PUCs and their growing role in rate decisions, featuring data from PowerLines.

PowerLines recently sponsored the Operation Gigawatt Summit and attended the WGA Energy Superabundance Workshop in Utah, joining governors, utilities and regulators to modernize the grid while keeping energy affordable for consumers. More below ⬇️

68% of Americans say their utility bill went up in the past year. In the Northeast, that number is 77%. MA lawmakers are weighing two competing approaches to lower energy costs. New PowerLines research in @newbedfordlight.bsky.social:

NEW from PowerLines’ latest polling: 76% of Americans want elected officials to exercise stronger utility oversight, but only 29% trust their state governments to deliver it. Utility Dive analyzes our Q1 report findings ⬇️

PowerLines in Energy Central: Only 29% of Americans think their state government protects them when regulating utilities — down nearly 10 points from last year. “Trust in oversight is slipping,” writes @mollyglick.bsky.social.

Utilities requested $9.4 BILLION in rate hike requests in just the first quarter of 2026, following a record $31 billion in requests in 2025. @marketplace.org with @kairyssdal.bsky.social breaks down the trends using findings from PowerLines’ latest report ⬇️

Utility bills are a top source of financial stress for American households — yet 60% of people don't know who controls their rates. New polling from PowerLines & @ipsosus.bsky.social breaks down why Americans feel powerless over their energy costs. 📊 Full report: powerlines.org/new-powerlin...

Facing some of the highest electricity costs in the U.S., Georgians voting for Public Service Commissioners are using the election to voice their struggles. They’re not alone @nytimes.com featured our poll showing 3 in 4 Americans worry about rising utility bills www.nytimes.com/2025/06/15/u...

📢 PowerLines’ @charlesxhua.bsky.social Hua spoke with @denvergazette.com about rising electricity prices in the US. #UtilityBills #EnergyCosts

PowerLines’ @charlesxhua.bsky.social spoke with @elisawood.bsky.social about the need for public engagement in utility regulation to deal with rising energy costs. 🎧 podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/u... #UtilityBills #EnergyCosts

PowerLines’ Charles Hua joined @aripeskoe.bsky.social and Jennifer Turliuk at @harvard.edu's Amped & Wired Summit to discuss AI, energy, and the future of utility regulation #EnergyPolicy #AI #PUCs #GridInnovation

Thank you @akielly.bsky.social at @canarymedia.com for highlighting our new polling with @ipsosus.bsky.social & report. Improving utility affordability for all consumers requires consumers to have a seat at the table as PUCs regulate utilities & determine prices. www.canarymedia.com/articles/uti...

As Trump’s policies threaten to raise utility bills, a new poll finds broad concern over costs — and little knowledge of the regulators that control rates. Reporting by @akielly.bsky.social

In case you missed it, PowerLines Founder @charlesxhua.bsky.social spoke with Julian Spector at @canarymedia.com about why elections for utility regulators matter for your energy costs. Read more: powerlines.org/pl-canarymedia/

⚡ Last week at the MIT Energy Conference, PowerLines’ Founder @charlesxhua.bsky.social moderated a panel on the challenges of the #energy industry. From #FERC reforms to #PUC engagement, smarter utility regulation is key to a better #grid. 🔋 Learn more: PowerLines.org

PowerLines' @charlesxhua.bsky.social joined Paula Glover (Alliance To Save Energy), Paige Knutsen (MEEA), and Jennifer Schafer (Cascade Associates) at the Midwest Energy Solutions Conference for a timely discussion on #energyefficiency and #distributedresources under the new administration.

Thrilled to announce that @charlesxhua.bsky.social from @powerlines.org will be moderating the panel "No Clean Energy Transition without Transmission"! Join us as Charles leads a dynamic discussion on the critical role of transmission in achieving a sustainable future. 🌿💻 #EnergySky #GreenSky

🚨 SHIFT KEY just dropped 🚨 @robinsonmeyer.bsky.social and @jessejenkins.bsky.social chat with @powerlines.org's @charlesxhua.bsky.social about the importance of public utility commissions for both economic growth and climate progress. Listen below, or wherever you get your podcasts.

🎙️PowerLines Founder @charlesxhua.bsky.social joins @robinsonmeyer.bsky.social & @jessedjenkins.com on @heatmap.news's Shift Key Podcast to discuss the hidden power of public utilities commissions (PUCs) on energy policy. 🎧 Tune in at PowerLines.org/PL-ShiftKey #EnergyPolicy #UtilityRegulation

Utility regulation is stuck in the past. Our advisor Ari Peskoe of Harvard Law can attest to why our work at PowerLines with modernizing utility regulation is essential. ⚡ 📢 Learn more: PowerLines.org

⚡️ Reminder to get applications in! Applications are rolling with a priority deadline of 2/5.

The Trump Administration has declared rising energy costs a priority. At PowerLines, we're focused on tackling the root cause: an outdated utility regulatory system that is not advancing the public interest. Learn more about how we're tackling this at PowerLines.org/Work.

PowerLines' Founder and Executive Director Charles Hua sits down with the Volts podcast to discuss the need and opportunity to modernize our utility regulation system. Listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or anywhere you get your podcasts. tinyurl.com/PL-Volts

As 2024 winds to an end, please consider making a tax-deductible donation to PowerLines. Your financial support is instrumental in helping us modernize the utility regulatory system to accelerate affordable, reliable, and clean energy for American consumers. Visit tinyurl.com/PowerLines-Donate.

In the U.S. utility bills have increased 20% since 2022. 1 in 3 Americans are struggling to pay their utility bills each month trading off health care, food, education, and other basic needs to meet these energy costs. Learn more about how we are tackling this issue at www.PowerLines.org

We have enjoyed connecting with folks since our launch in September. The reception has been incredibly enthusiastic, and we greatly appreciate your support. Please reach out at www.powerlines.org if you are interested in collaborating on our mission to modernize the utility regulatory system!