Americans hit with soaring electricity bills as price hikes outpace inflation nationwide

Core Insights - Rising electricity costs in the U.S. are attributed to increased demand from winter weather and AI data centers, with prices outpacing inflation [1] - The national average electricity price increased from 12.82 cents to 13.72 cents per kilowatt-hour, marking a 7.1% rise [2] - Regulatory policies favoring renewable energy sources over traditional energy sources have contributed to rising electricity prices [3] Price Increases - The District of Columbia experienced the highest electricity price increase at 26.29% [7] - Significant price increases were noted in several states, including: - Pennsylvania +18.93% - Rhode Island +16.32% - New Jersey +15.74% - Maine +14.97% - Ohio +14.45% - Maryland +12.97% - Washington +12.24% - California +12.18% - Indiana +11.13% - New York +10.7% [13] Price Declines or Small Increases - Some states reported declines or minimal increases in electricity prices, including: - Nevada -7.68% - Connecticut -7.57% - New Mexico -2.91% - Tennessee -1.75% - Hawaii -0.27% - North Carolina 0.0% - Arizona +0.16% - South Dakota +0.65% - Iowa +1.25% - West Virginia +1.42% [15]