Cooling Costs to Hit 10-Year High This Summer

Summer cooling costs for the average U.S. household are projected to hit a 10-year high this year, according to a report from the National Energy Assistance Directors Association and Center for Energy Poverty and Climate.

As Ysabelle Kempe explains in Smart Cities Dive, the average bill over the June-through-September period is estimated to be $719, 8 percent higher than last year. “Some regions are projected to face a greater rise in average year-over-year summer electricity costs than others. The greatest bill increases are projected to be in the Mid-Atlantic, which includes New York, Pennsylvania and New Jersey, and the Pacific region, which includes Washington, Oregon and California.”

Extreme heat is becoming a pressing public health concern as more cities face rising summer temperatures and unsustainably high energy demands. For people without access to air conditioning or local cooling centers, heat can be deadly. Last year, a record 2,300 people died from heat-related causes. Only 17 states and Washington, D.C. have rules in place to prevent utility shutoffs. According to NEADA Executive Director Mark Wolfe, “What we’re missing in the country is a year-round strategy to help people pay their heating and cooling bills, and we think that Congress should take that up next year.”