Over 80 million Americans face tens of billions in energy rate hikes in 2026. Here's where bills are set to rise most, and ways to lower them

“We’re calling this the new politics of electricity, where electricity is the new eggs,” Charles Hua, executive director of PowerLines, said during a media briefing, per the broadcaster.

Hua, of course, was referring to the rising price of eggs in recent years becoming a hot topic for consumers frustrated with high living costs.

So, why are rate requests going up, who’s being impacted most and what can households do to reduce the damage?

Feeling the impact of rate hikes

Many utilities aren’t simply able to raise rates on their own. State regulators sign off on increases, and added costs are typically passed on to customers.

Appearing on CBS Los Angeles, Hua explained utilities will ask for more money to pay for things like costly maintenance on aging infrastructure and repairs following extreme weather events (3). Fuel prices and surging demand for electricity can also be a factor.

While rate hikes are happening across the country, southern states are getting hit hardest. Regulators so far have approved $8.4 billion in increases affecting 13.9 million customers in the South, CBS News reports, citing data from Powerlines. In total, $14.3 billion in requests were made covering 32.9 million people in the region last year.

Price increases like these are coming at a time when Americans are struggling to afford basic living costs. Roughly one-third of Americans reported cutting back on or skipping a necessary expense at least once to pay their utility bill, according to a 2024 LendingTree survey (4). According to Bureau of Labor Statistics data, the average annual electricity bill that same year was $1,833.

What you can do right now

For everyday consumers concerned about the rate hikes, here are some strategies you can use to help offset the squeeze.