Nearly 45% of Texans now pay over $200/month for summer electricity, and 1 in 3 spend more than 7% of their income just to keep the lights on. (UH)
Who’s hit hardest: Low-income, rural, and minority households—many in older, less efficient homes—are bearing the brunt, per a new survey from the UH and TSU. In some southern and western counties, energy bills now eat up 11% of household income.
Why it’s getting worse: Grid upgrades, extreme heat, and a wave of new data centers are pushing demand (and costs) higher. Nearly 40% of Texans say they’ve struggled to pay their bills this year, and 1 in 5 had to choose between electricity and essentials like food or rent.
What’s next: Researchers say better efficiency programs and smarter energy habits could help, but opinions split sharply on solutions—half of Democrats see renewables as the fix, compared with just 1 in 5 Republicans.