Another brutally hot summer could hit Americans in at least two big ways: soaring temperatures and higher electric bills.
What's happening?
A new report from the National Energy Assistance Directors Association and the Center for Energy Poverty and Climate projects that average residential electricity costs will climb to about $792 this summer, up 10.5% from $717 in 2025.
Compared with 2020, the price of cooling homes during the summer has risen by nearly 40%, according to a NEADA press release. The report links that increase to higher electricity prices and hotter summers that force air conditioners to run longer.
"Families are getting hit from both sides," said NEADA executive director Mark Wolfe in the release.
The report also found that every region of the country is likely to see higher cooling costs, with larger increases forecast for the Mountain and South Atlantic regions. The West South Central region — Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, and Louisiana — is likely to post the highest average summer electric bills overall, while forecasters are also calling for above-average temperatures across much of the U.S.
Why is this concerning?
During periods of extreme heat, air conditioning is a health and safety need — not just a comfort measure.
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If this summer ends up being one of the hottest on record, many households may be forced to use more electricity — and pay more for it — simply to keep their homes at livable temperatures.
That pressure is landing on households that are already struggling.
According to the report, one in six U.S. households is behind on utility bills. Meanwhile, utilities disconnected electric service about 13.5 million times in 2024, and nearly 40% of households making less than $50,000 say they have trouble paying energy bills. The report says total utility debt could reach around $25 billion by late 2026.
"For families already struggling to make ends meet, higher cooling costs can force difficult choices between paying utility bills and covering other necessities such as food, rent, or medicine," Wolfe said.
What's being done?
NEADA is asking Congress to raise funding for the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program, or LIHEAP, to $7 billion for fiscal year 2027.
The group is also calling on states to expand cooling assistance programs and strengthen protections for households at risk of shutoffs during dangerous heat.
Lower-cost ways to trim summer energy use at home include closing blinds during the hottest part of the day, replacing dirty HVAC filters, and sealing obvious air leaks.
Bigger upgrades, such as improving insulation or switching to more efficient cooling equipment, can reduce wasted energy and make future heat waves less financially painful.
"Electricity prices continue to rise, and hotter summers mean households need to use more electricity simply to stay safe," Wolfe said in the release.
And he warned, "When temperatures break records, utility bills often do too."
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