Trump’s Energy Policy Spike Consumer Bills

President Trump’s Energy Policies Lead to Increasing Consumer Energy Bills

In a surprising turn of events, despite President Trump’s campaign promises of reducing consumer energy bills, the energy costs have actually risen for consumers in 2025. And, there are predictions of higher prices continuing into 2026 and beyond.

Trump’s Energy Strategy Shift and Its Impact

President Trump’s second term in office began with the declaration of an energy emergency. He quickly passed executive orders to halt the implementation of former-President Biden’s 2025 Inflation Reduction Act. He also limited the deployment of renewable energy, turning his focus instead towards expanding fossil fuels, which led to the halt of several wind energy projects across America. This shift has caused a surge in investor uncertainty in the clean energy sector, slowing its growth, while expansion of oil and gas operations continues unhindered.

Increasing Energy Bills Across America

Data from the Energy Information Administration (EIA), analysed by The Guardian, shows that the average household electricity bill in the U.S. was 6.7 percent higher in 2025 than it was in 2024. This increase in energy costs equates to an average household spending of around $116 more in 2025 than in the previous year. Some states, such as Washington DC and Indiana, experienced higher increases in energy bills, with their electricity costs increasing by 23 percent and 17 percent, respectively.

Additionally, EIA figures show that the cost of gas has also risen by around 5.2 percent on average over the last year. This rise in gas prices has led to a surge in disconnections for unpaid bills across several states. In states like New York, the disconnection rate increased fivefold.

Mark Wolfe, the executive director of the National Energy Assistance Directors Association, expressed his concern by stating, “Instead of reducing electric bills by 50 percent, the president’s actions have raised the cost of home energy for all Americans.”

Impact of Trump’s Policies on Renewable Energy Projects

Trump has been focusing on expanding oil and gas production, and keeping coal plants running, which has led to Americans missing out on cheaper and cleaner energy sources, such as wind energy. With the increase in maintenance costs for coal-fired plants, along with their inefficiency, keeping several ageing U.S. plants operational is costing consumers billions of dollars. Additionally, his policies have led to the stall of several offshore wind energy projects, as Trump has restricted development in the sector.

As a result, the projects that have been cancelled or delayed have led to a loss of almost 25 GW of planned energy generation, which according to a Climate Power report, could have powered almost 13.2 million households.

Trump’s Support for Large-Scale Data Centres and Nuclear Power

Trump’s support for large-scale data centres and the rollout of artificial intelligence (AI) has led to the U.S. energy demand increasing for the first time in decades. His support for nuclear power, and significant investments in a range of nuclear technologies could provide clean power to consumers, but these will take several years to develop.

The Challenge of Meeting Energy Needs

The rising U.S. energy demand will likely increase consumer energy bills. While tech companies may be willing to pay a high price for their data centre expansions, meeting the energy needs of normal households may prove to be challenging. The shift away from renewable energy has slowed the development of new energy capacity, and while investments in nuclear power may eventually fill this gap, it will likely take decades for them to have a significant impact.