Electricity Rates Soar, Trump Blamed

0:00On this March 18th in Anchorage, here's what is making headlines. Electricity rates jump significantly across nearly every U.S. state in 2025. A Democratic Congressional report shows the average household paid about $110 more for power. A 6.4 percent increase. From 2024, a dozen states saw hikes of at least 10 percent, with a district of Columbia leading at 23.5 percent. The sharpest rise is hit New Jersey at 16.9 percent, Indiana at 16.3 percent, and Illinois at 15.9 percent. Meanwhile, a few areas like Nevada saw rates drop 18 percent, and California fell 3.1 percent. Democrats blame President Trump for breaking his campaign pledge to cut energy costs in half. Families feel the squeeze daily, especially with the fordability key before the 2026 midterms. Trump has called cost worries a hoax. Gas prices added to the pain, averaging $3.72 nationwide this week, up from $2.93 a month ago.

1:04That's linked to the U.S. Israeli War in Iran, which has choked off much of the world's oil via the Strait of Hormuz since late February. Trump recently hosted tech CEOs for a rate-payer protection pledge. Big tech promised to cover power needs for AI data centers, aiming to keep or lower costs for regular customers. Officials note natural gas powers, most U.S. electricity now. The Daily News Now is presented by our sponsor. Headphones in a pillow. Once you try it, it just makes sense. S-O-L-I, solely pillow.com. Made in AI.