Your electricity bill is expected to increase with the summer heat

Home electricity bills could rise as temperatures rise this summer in the U.S., according to an analysis from the Energy Information Administration (AIA).

Americans’ monthly electricity bills will likely average $173 between June and August, compared with $168 last summer, the EIA predicts. The slight increase in costs comes from consumers turning up their air conditioning more to deal with a hotter season than last year. Bills would have gone up more if not for lower residential electricity prices, helping to offset some of the increased energy use from air conditioning.

Some regions will likely be more affected by the weather than others. Due to the heat and humidity along the Gulf Coast, residents of Southern states typically use more electricity in the summer to cool their homes.

The Pacific Coast, meanwhile, faces the largest potential percentage increase in retail electricity prices in the country – a 7% jump since last year. Wholesale electricity costs have increased since 2022, in part due to a shortfall in electricity production caused by heat and drought. Households across the Pacific could see their electricity bills rise by an average of $11 per month this summer, according to the EIA.

In fact, the EIA states that weather is “the main source of uncertainty” in its forecasts for utility bills. If this summer ends up being hotter than expected, families could end up paying even more.

Residential electricity use typically peaks in the summer in most of the U.S. because of air conditioning. Extreme heat can even trigger power outages if demand suddenly increases. California, Southwest, Midwest, Texas and New England are in “high risk” of electricity supply shortages during any extreme weather this summer, according to a assessment by the North American Electric Reliability Corporation.