Energy

Blue States Shock Taxpayers’ Wallets With Massive Residential Electricity Rates

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Blue state taxpayers were hit with the highest residential electricity rates in June, outpacing most Republican-controlled states, according to data recently published by the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA).

Of the 20 states with the highest residential electricity rates in June, 16 of them have Democratic governors, according to the EIA data. The most expensive residential rates of the continental 48 states in June were Connecticut, California, New Hampshire, Maine, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, New York and Vermont, all of which President Joe Biden won in 2020, according to the EIA data.

The least expensive states in the contiguous 48 were Washington state, Louisiana, Utah, Idaho, Nebraska, North Dakota, Tennessee, Arkansas and Kentucky, with former President Donald Trump carrying all of those states besides Washington state. Of the least expensive 15 states in the same time period, only two are not governed by Republicans.

.@JoeBiden says he would be willing to sacrifice economic growth and the displacement of blue collar jobs in order to transition to a Green economy pic.twitter.com/4lLd6GgKay

— Daily Caller (@DailyCaller) December 20, 2019

Notably, Connecticut’s rates were nearly 30% higher than those of Alaska for the month of June, according to the EIA data. Connecticut sits in the most populous corridor of the entire U.S., while Alaska does not have the benefit of being able to share transmission lines or import and export power across state lines when needed as many states in the contiguous 48 are able to, according to the Alaska Policy Forum.

Energy costs have risen twice as fast as the costs of all other goods since Biden took office in 2021, according to the House Budget Committee. Currently, energy prices are up by about 30% since Biden became president.

The average monthly bill for American residential electricity customers jumped by 13% between 2021 to 2022 before adjusting for inflation, rising from $121 per month to $137 each month, according to EIA. 2022 exhibited the largest year-over-year spike in average residential electricity bills since 1984, the first year on EIA’s record.

Recent reports have indicated that heating bills could also skyrocket for Americans in the months ahead if the upcoming weather proves to be especially cold, particularly for Americans that depend on heating oil, according to the National Energy Assistance Directors Association. Concern over a potential spike is attributable to lower-than-average reserves of the type of oil that is required to produce heating oil.

The White House did not respond immediately to a request for comment.