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Across Pennsylvania, rising rates for electricity are creating problems for numerous households. This week, the Altoona Mirror reported, a progressive new campaign, dubbed Building a Brighter PA, brought a call for protections to lower consumer electric bills while generating more power from renewable energy sources.
“Electric generation rates have also increased between 18%-52%, depending on where you live in the state,” said Elizabeth Marx, executive director of the Public Utility Law Project. “The combined impact is severe, with roughly one in four state families reporting difficulty paying their energy costs, and 1 in 20 carrying substantial utility debt with average balances exceeding $1,200, much higher than the national average.”
More than 387,000 households had their electricity or gas involuntarily shut off in 2025 and such involuntary shutoffs are up 27% since 2022.
“Behind these numbers, working moms are forced to choose between turning the lights on and feeding their family. We’ve got seniors who are keeping their homes at dangerous temperatures to meet rising energy costs on a fixed income,” Marx said. “The consequences are rippling through our entire community. They’re triggering housing insecurity, family separation, negative health consequences, higher health costs, the list of cascading consequences is seemingly endless.”
Those costs also are impacting residents who responded to our weekly poll. In answering, "Are electricity bills creating havoc for your household?" 59% said yes with another 41% indicating "no."
This week's question: Should students be restricted from using cell phones while at school?