'Another Trump Lie': Despite Campaign Pledges, Electricity Costs Up $100 Per Family

As low-income households in northern states where the weather has already turned colder face the loss of heating assistance due to the government shutdown, a congressional report unveiled Thursday reveals that households across the country can expect to pay about $100 more this year in electricity costs than they did last year.

The report by Democratic members of the Joint Economic Committee—which includes Sens. Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Gary Peters (D-Mich.), and Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.)—emphasizes that the higher costs come a year after President Donald Trump won a second term in office after campaigning on ensuring families would pay less for groceries and energy if they elected him.

"Your energy bill within 12 months will be cut in half, and that’s my pledge all over the country," said Trump at a roundtable event in September 2024.

Contrary to that claim, the Democrats on the joint committee found that based on monthly electric bill data released by the Energy Information Administration for the first eight months of this year, annual costs for families will be at least 5% higher in 37 states and at least 10% higher in 10 states and Washington, DC.

Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) condemned "another Trump lie that's costing American families," and emphasized that the projected higher bills will force US households to spend "an estimated $70 billion over the next three years."

"That's why I'm pressing the Trump administration to actually stand up and do something to lower the electricity costs," said Warren.

Some of the worst-affected states include those with harsh winters in the northeast, including Maine, where people are projected to pay 12.5%, or $200, more for electricity this year. Massachusetts families will pay 12.4% ($250) more. In the Midwest, Illinois and Indiana will pay 15.2% ($200) and 16.3% ($260) more, respectively, while Washington, DC is the hardest hit by higher costs, with families expected to pay 22.1% ($300) more.

As CBS News reported in August, Trump has sought to blame higher electricity bills on renewable energy, but Rob Gramlich of energy consulting firm Grid Strategies said the higher demand and rising costs are being driven by "the rapid expansion of artificial intelligence, oil and gas drilling, space heating, and electrified forms of transportation."

Trump has demanded an expansion of AI data centers, which can consume 30 times more electricity than traditional data centers and use as much power as 80,000 homes.

“While President Trump claimed he would cut electricity prices in half, in reality, Americans in almost every single state are facing higher electricity bills,” said Hassan, ranking member of the committee. “Democrats and Republicans should be working together to lower costs for families, but instead President Trump is continuing to push prices up even higher.”

The report was released two days after elections across the country that were favorable for Democrats. New Jersey Gov.-elect Mikie Sherrill won after campaigning on a promise to freeze utility rates in the state, while two Democrats in Georgia ousted Republicans on the state's Public Service Commission, which regulates utility prices.

The GOP commissioners had approved six rate increases over the past two years; the election marks the first time any Democrats have won a seat on the panel since 2007.