The price of electricity is soaring in the summer heat, when fans and air conditioners are working nonstop. In Tulsa, Okla., people are having their power cut when they can't pay their bills.

As policymakers and the American public seek to address rising energy costs, going beyond the top-line averages to understand which consumers are most affected by rising costs, and where those consumers are, is key to determining what policies might best address the current energy affordability challenges. Figure 1 below, provided by McKinsey & Company, illustrates, … Continued

As calls grow for data centers to fund their own power needs, efficiency and load shifting offer part of the solution

This is the first installment of “Powerless,” a series from Public Health Watch examining how rising temperatures and skyrocketing electricity costs are placing Texans in danger.

Over six weeks since late July, the Electric Reliability Council of Texas’ weekly average peak loads all exceeded a record set in 2023, the Energy Information Administration said.

Texas would make large AI hyperscalers pay for the wires that connect them. Whether they must also pay directly for the broader grid work needed to serve them is still an open question.

Electric grid managers say Texas needs more transmission. But the new power lines were opposed by rural landowners, opponents of renewable energy and many state politicians.

Austin, Texas, is helping low-income residents make energy efficiency upgrades, maintaining cooling centers, and urging people to check on neighbors.