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AP: Trump promised to cut electric costs in half. Bills in energy-rich West Virginia now top mortgages

West Virginia residents face surging utility costs as the Public Service Commission approved a series of rate hikes in recent years, leaving more than one in three households energy-burdened, spending over 6% of their income on fuel.
Decades of economic stagnation leave residents uniquely vulnerable; West Virginia's median inflation-adjusted household income in 2023 was lower than in 1970, per the Urban Institute, while the state relies on aging coal-fired plants for about 87% of production.
Small businesses like bakery owner Heather Santee's shop in Ravenswood closed after being unable to pay bills, while families face monthly charges eclipsing their $798 mortgage, forcing some to turn thermostats down to 60 degrees.
Gov. Patrick Morrisey announced plans for a 600 megawatt data center in Berkeley County, though the project lacks a clear plan for the massive electricity and water demands required to run the 1.9 million square foot facility.
Energy affordability remains a critical political issue as investor-owned utilities requested nearly $31 billion in rate increases last year, according to PowerLines founder Charles Hua, affecting more than 80 million Americans through the fall elections.

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'He's had plenty of time': Red state Trump voters ditch MAGA as energy bills skyrocket

Donald Trump promised to cut Americans' electricity bills in half within his first year and a half in office, but in ruby red West Virginia, some residents are now getting hit with monthly electric bills bigger than their paychecks.Rebecca Michalski, a disabled woman on a fixed income in Rainelle, W...

9 hours ago·United States

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