HOMEOWNERS and renters are dishing out more and more cash to cool their living spaces, with energy bills set to skyrocket to $784 on average this summer.
As rates reach an all-time high in the past 12 years, many Americans are falling behind on utility payments and risk seeing their electricity shut off.
GettyAmericans are paying the most ever in 12 years for electricity as the temperatures rise[/caption] NEADAEnergy bills are expected to reach an average of $784 this summer[/caption]Not only is the temperature slowly ticking upwards as the official start of summer nears, but also energy bills.
This hot season, Americans will face yet another summer of record high costs to cool their homes, per a recent report from National Energy Assistance Directors Association, or NEADA.
The average price of electricity from June to September is projected to reach $784 in 2025 – a 6.2% hike from last year’s $737 average, or roughly 4.3% accounting for inflation.
This marks the highest cost of electricity in at least 12 years.
Just 10 years ago, the average electricity cost from June to September was $497.
The cost has skyrocketed due to two main factors, according to NEADA.
The first is that the price of electricity is rising at a quicker rate than inflation and the second is that temperatures are continuing to jump due to climate change, requiring more energy to cool homes.
Americans in Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, and Louisiana are seeing the highest energy costs, with an average summer bill of $996.
Residents in the New England area – including states such as Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut – are also expected to shell out a hefty chunk of change to keep cool this summer, with an average bill of $922.
ON THE RISE
Rising energy costs are hitting low-income households the hardest, with electricity accounting for roughly 8.6% of their income – nearly three times the rate for Americans in other income brackets.
More and more low and moderate income households are becoming unable to pay their energy bills.
From April 2023 to April 2024, the percentage of these households who could not afford their electricity for at least one month jumped from 34.6% to 36.8%, according to the most recent Census Household Pulse Survey.
Consumers are racking up utility consumer debt as energy prices climb.
As of March 2025, Americans owe roughly $24 billion in utilities – a sharp rise from the $17.5 billion in utility consumer debt in January 2023.
Summer Protections by State
In 2025, just 17 states and Washington DC offer Americans protections from having their electricity shut off if they are behind on utility payments:
Arizona Arkansas Colorado Delaware Washington DC Georgia Illinois Louisiana Maryland Minnesota Mississippi Missouri Nevada Oklahoma Oregon Texas Washington WisconsinSource: NEADA
Roughly 21.2 million US households, or one out of every six, are behind on their energy bills, according to NEADA estimates.
Americans unable to pay their bills on time are at risk of having their electricity shut off, leaving low-income families especially vulnerable to extreme heat in the summer.
Prolonged exposure to high temperatures without cooling can be dangerous and even fatal, resulting in heart attacks and respiratory failure.
Only 17 states and Washington DC offer some protections against electricity shut offs for those who are not up to date with their utility payments.
These states are working to strengthen the protections as the weather continues to get hotter and hotter each summer.
On the other hand, Americans in 33 states are at risk of having their AC shut off, as these states lack any summer shut-off protections.
This is especially dangerous for low-income families, leaving them vulnerable to dangerous health conditions resulting from extensive exposure to high temperatures.
As Americans’ bills climb, one company is offering “free electricity” every weekend – it just takes three easy steps.
Meanwhile, the price of AC units is skyrocketing due to a new “refrigerant” rule – and you face a hefty fee even if you already own one.
Read More Details
Finally We wish PressBee provided you with enough information of ( Americans to see energy bills skyrocket to $784 for highest cost in 12 years – and some states brace for ‘shut-offs’ )
Also on site :