Where is energy getting the most expensive?
Across the U.S., households are struggling to afford rapidly rising electricity and methane gas bills. From 2019 to 2024, average residential electricity prices rose significantly faster than the cumulative inflation rate, squeezing families nationwide.
Core Drivers of Rising Rates
Wildfire Mitigation
In states like California, electricity bills are being driven up substantially by billions of dollars in essential but costly wildfire mitigation and prevention efforts.
Peak Grid Demand
Texas is struggling to meet its rapidly growing peak electricity demand during severe summer heatwaves, leading to aggressive capacity expansion costs.
Aging Distribution
Across the country, the primary cost isn't strictly generating electricity, but fixing the legacy systems that physically deliver it to households against extreme weather.
Methane Gas is Increasing Even Faster
The missing counterpart to the electric grid narrative is the dramatic growth in residential gas prices, which surged an astonishing 39% over this same five-year period.
Three-quarters of U.S. states have seen methane gas prices rise significantly faster than inflation, primarily due to delayed cost recoveries from winter price spikes and the immense cost of maintaining vast underground distribution networks.
Moving Toward Efficient Design
As legacy systems face immense pricing pressures, developing highly-efficient, closed-loop infrastructure from the outset is no longer optional—it is the baseline for sustainable growth.
Explore the Solutions