Speaker: Charles Hua, founder and executive director, PowerLines
Rising utility bills have rapidly become a national economic and political issue. In 2025, utilities requested a record $31 billion in rate increases, double the previous record. Meanwhile, electricity prices have increased 40 percent since 2021, while four in five Americans feel powerless over these costs.
Just 200 public utilities commission (PUC) commissioners who oversee $200 billion each year in utility spending — the “U.S. Supreme Court justices of energy” — have power over how much power costs.
PowerLines Founder and Executive Director Charles Hua will talk about why utility bills are rising and what stakeholders can do to address this issue.
This event is presented as part of Earth Fest.