The cost of electricity is rising more than twice as fast as overall inflation, turning a basic household necessity into a growing financial burden.

In August, electricity prices jumped 6.2 percent from a year earlier and are now up more than 30 percent over the past four years, according to the Consumer Price Index.

That rise has hit families hard and presents a political challenge for the administration.

President Trump's energy chief acknowledged the strain in a recent interview and said rising electric bills are what he worries about most.

Energy Secretary Chris Wright blamed the Biden administration, arguing that "all sorts of crazy projects were under construction," but experts say the reality is more complicated.

Aging infrastructure needs replacing, and significant upgrades are required to make the nation's power grid more reliable. At the same time, electricity demand from AI-driven data centers and advanced manufacturing is rising at a record pace.

"We have ignored our infrastructure for a long, long time, especially in areas that have been hit by storms and extreme weather," said Ed Hirs, an energy fellow at the University of Houston.

As of early September, at least 102 gas and electric utilities have either raised or proposed higher rates that would go into effect in 2025 or 2026,

© The Hill