Climate change is leading to higher utility bills — and not just because of rising temps

Sep 10, 2024
Regulators approved more than $9.7 billion in utility rate increases nationally last year.
Building solar and wind farms, as well as transmission lines to connect them to the grid, is pricey. Utilities are passing a lot of these expenses on to ratepayers.
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California's investor-owned utilities are changing how they charge for power

Apr 19, 2023
The push to "electrify everything" prompted the state to mandate a new fixed charge based on income, and the state's investor-owned utilities are out with proposals.
California is trying to bring down utility fees with a flat fee tacked on to an individual's utility bill based on income. Above, power lines in Rosemead, California.
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Heating oil costs are up — and that's bad news for the Northeast

Dec 12, 2022
In New England and other northeastern states where heating oil is a common fuel, it's going to cost more to stay warm this winter.
Staying warm in the winter is going to become more expensive, especially in the Northeast.
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Cash-strapped cities consider turning crumbling utilities over to the private sector

Oct 20, 2022
Infrastructure repairs are usually left up to local governments, but smaller cities can’t always afford these repairs.
Above, a water treatment plant on Aug. 31, in Jackson, Mississippi. In places like Jackson and Duquesne, Pennsylvania, crumbling infrastructure has led to unclean drinking water.
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Energy is getting more expensive. More middle-income families are struggling to pay.

May 16, 2022
Between a quarter and a third of U.S. households are said to be energy insecure, and many don't qualify for aid.
Energy costs should take up about 6% of household income, energy experts say. But many low- and middle-income families are spending  multiple times that.
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