utilities

Stacy Cowley, a reporter from The New York Times, talks about how consumers are going into debt to pay for basic household needs.

Solar panels, insulation and new heat pumps all cost a lot of money. But well-fitted windows help save on utilities too.

They plan to cut back their spending on most services, except for utilities, according to a survey by The Conference Board.

U.S. power consumption hit a record high last year. It is expected to do so again in 2026 and 2027, driven by a historic shift.

Missouri is among several states reviving a financing policy that allows utilities to charge ratepayers for power plants as they're being built rather than after they come online.

Fresh data from energy nonprofit PowerLines and Ipsos this week says utilities requested $9.4 billion in rate hikes in the first quarter of 2026.

About a dozen states have “restructured” or “deregulated” utility systems, but results have been mixed, say consumer advocates.

The National Energy Assistance Directors Association projects that people will have to spend over $1,000, on average, to heat their homes this winter.

In late December, Colorado’s largest utility shut off power to thousands of customers. Xcel Energy said a downed power line could have ignited a wildfire. Instead, the shut-off sparked a backlash.

There are a multitude of reasons including an aging electric grid, the rising price of natural gas, and other factors accelerating demand.