Heating Costs Expected to Rise 9.2% This Winter [View all]

https://www.nytimes.com/2025/12/17/business/energy-environment/winter-heating-costs-increase.html

https://archive.ph/BOzXi

Heating Costs Expected to Rise 9.2% This Winter
Colder weather and rising electricity and fuel costs will lead to a big jump in costs for individuals, according to estimates from a group representing state energy officials.
By Ivan Penn
Dec. 17, 2025, 5:02 a.m. ET

Consumers already tapped out from rising home energy costs face yet another strain on their pocketbooks — surging heating costs.

Higher electricity and natural gas prices coupled with forecasts for unusually cold temperatures across parts of the country are expected to drive up bills as winter takes hold. The average U.S. household is projected to spend nearly $1,000 this winter to heat its home, up 9.2 percent from a year earlier, according to the National Energy Assistance Directors Association, which represents state governments in securing federal money.

Even as costs rise, the federal government is offering states less money to help low-income residents pay for heat. The budget for a critical federal program has been cut by about a third this year compared with two years ago.

“These increases may not sound dramatic to higher-income households, but for families already struggling, they are devastating,” said Mark Wolfe, executive director of the energy assistance association. “Millions of households are being pushed deeper into utility debt and closer to shut-offs simply because they cannot afford to keep their homes warm.”

Home energy costs have steadily increased over the last few years as utility companies have spent more money on electric grids after devastating wildfires and extreme weather and to make up for deferred maintenance. Power providers are also spending billions of dollars on upgrades in anticipation of rapid growth in electricity demand from data centers used for artificial intelligence services.

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