The numbers: That stat comes from a survey of over 2K US adults conducted from April-May 2026. Just 1% claimed they “completely” trust these officials to protect their interests.
Why? “Nationwide, Americans are skeptical that the system is working in their favor,” Consumer Reports explained in a statement. Respondents were most likely to cite utility profits and data center demand as the drivers behind rising bills. Plus, half said it’s “unacceptable” for utilities to charge customers for business expenses beyond energy production and delivery.
What the people want: Across party lines, 84% of respondents said they would support separate utility rate classes for large power users. Meanwhile, nearly 70% said utilities should pay for initial data center-associated infrastructure costs out of their own pockets (and not with other customers’ funds).
Wed, Oct 21
Molly Glick
Energy Central Team