Electricity costs could shape the 2026 midterms, Bill McKibben says

Bill McKibben said rising electricity bills may influence the 2026 midterm elections, and U.S. average electricity prices rose about 12.8% between January and October 2025, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration.

Bill McKibben recently installed a new set of plug-in solar panels on his Vermont home and said rising electricity bills could influence the 2026 midterm elections. He has used solar power for roughly 25 years and now sends more excess electricity to the local grid. McKibben and some lawmakers link higher power costs to policy changes under the Trump administration, while renewable energy costs have been falling globally. Federal clean energy tax incentives expired on Dec. 31, and several offshore wind projects were paused before judges allowed some to resume. What is known: - Bill McKibben installed a fourth iteration of solar panels on his Vermont home and described the panels as plug-in units that can be used with little fuss. - McKibben said electric prices could be to the 2026 election what egg prices were to the 2024 election, as reported by the Associated Press. - The U.S. Energy Information Administration reported the national average electricity cost rose from 15.94 cents per kilowatt-hour in January 2025 to about 17.98 cents in October 2025, a roughly 12.8% increase. - Federal clean energy tax incentives expired on Dec. 31, and the Trump administration froze five offshore wind projects before judges allowed three to resume. - Some states, including Maryland, New Jersey and Maine, have seen electricity prices rise faster than the national average since October 2024. Summary: Rising electricity costs are being highlighted by activists and some lawmakers as a political issue ahead of the 2026 midterms, and officials and governors have urged grid operators to address supply and affordability concerns. Undetermined at this time.