What’s the deal with electric bills in the U.S.?
What’s the deal with electric bills in the U.S.?
US · Published May 11, 2026
Mary C. Williams sits in her home in New Orleans on Friday, Feb. 4,
Williams, who lives on a low fixed income, has high utility bills from Entergy, a major utility provider in Louisiana and three other Southern states, causing her to stress about keeping her lights on. (AP Photo/Matthew Hinton)

Well, it’s complicated, and the U.S. and Israel’s bombing of Iran has made it even more so. The methane gas market has been disrupted by the conflict, and 40% of U.S. electricity is still generated with gas, often called natural gas. But many forces factor into electric bills. Perhaps surprisingly, when the numbers are adjusted for inflation, some bills haven’t risen at all, while others have gone up a lot, and the reasons vary by location.

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