Working people are paying 20% more for utilities now than they were five years ago.
Posted by The MeidasTouch Podcast, Checked
- Sources
- 3 contradict4 support1 context
- Said
- 1 time·
- Confidence
- 50%
The MeidasTouch PodcastSep 15, 2026
Direction is supported: nominal electricity and utility rates rose over 2021–2026 across several sources. The specific 20% figure, however, falls below most reported nominal increases (roughly 27–45% for electricity), and the record shows only about 3% national growth in inflation-adjusted terms over 2019–2025, so the magnitude depends on the measure used.
A detail. The sources confirm the gist; the verdict faults a detail such as a date, number or wording.
This claim is about the present, so it is judged as of the day it was checked.
What was said
… Gas prices are up 52% since the war started. Are you aware of this issue? Yes or no? I think that's not a good idea. Okay, I'm gonna take that as a yes. You're playing like you don't know, but you know. Okay, Secretary Bessen. Claiming my time. Secretary Bessen, working people are paying more for utilities now than they were five years ago, more than 40, 20% more. Are you aware of that? I am aware of that. Okay, moving on. Secretary Bessen, people are also paying over three times more on health insurance. Have you heard about this issue? Yes or no? I'm aware that Obama yes or no? Are you aware? …
The MeidasTouch Podcast · · from the transcriptPost →What we found
Contradicts. Several measures put the increase above the claimed 20%, so the stated figure understates the nominal rise. Pew reports residential electricity up 27% nationally from 2021 to 2025.[5]
Contradicts. On a inflation-adjusted basis the national increase is far smaller: FactCheck.org reports average retail electricity prices up 29% from 2019 to 2025 but only about 3% after adjusting for inflation, and EIA reports a 13% nominal rise from 2022 to 2025.[1][2]
Supports. Nominal electricity prices rose sharply over the period: BLS-based analysis shows electric bills up about 37% from July 2021 to July 2026, and PowerLines reports residential electricity costs up almost 40% since 2021.[6][7]
Supports. The CPUC reports PG&E average rates up about 45% and SCE up about 43% since 2021, and New Jersey's BPU reports residential rates rising 7.4% annually over five years.[3][4]
Context. Increases vary widely by utility and state, and some sources point to a larger rise for investor-owned utility customers than for public providers, so no single national figure captures every household.[1][8]
Sources
8 sources: 1 fact-checker, 3 primary, 3 not rated, 1 tier 2
- 1Data Centers and Electricity Prices: It’s Not as Simple as ...factcheck.org · fact-checker · cited for: contradicts, context
- 2U.S. electricity prices continue steady increase - U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA)eia.gov · primary source · cited for: contradicts
- 3Electric Affordabilitycpuc.ca.gov · primary source · cited for: supports
- 4Modernizing New Jersey's Electric Utility Business Modelnj.gov · primary source · cited for: supports
- 5Many Americans hold utility companies responsible for rising ...pewresearch.org · not rated · cited for: contradicts
- 6Affordability: Here are the costs causing the most painconsumeraffairs.com · not rated · cited for: supports
- 7Reports - PowerLinespowerlines.org · not rated · cited for: supports
- 8One Home’s Power Bill Is $500. A Half-Mile Away, It’s 70% Lowerbloomberg.com · tier 2 · cited for: context
Where this claim was made
Said in 1 published post