As fall turns to winter and temperatures begin to drop, millions of people across the U.S. will struggle to pay their rising energy bills. The government shutdown is making matters even worse: Several states have pushed back the start of their winter energy assistance because their federally allocated funds have yet to show up.
Even with the prospect of Congress ending the shutdown, widespread federal layoffs mean it will likely take time to restore funding.
A 2023 national survey found that nearly one in four Americans were unable to pay their full energy bill for at least one month, and nearly one in four reported that they kept their homes at unsafe temperatures to save money. By 2025, updated polling indicated that nearly three in four Americans are worried about rising energy costs.
Conservative estimates suggest that utilities shut off power to over 3 million U.S. households each year because the residents cannot pay their bills, says Assistant Professor of Human Geography Nikki Luke. Read more at The Conversation.
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