Prices of electricity have been hunting budget-sensitive households since President Joe Biden assumed the presidency. Families have experienced an astronomical rise in the costs, well outpacing inflation with a 29.4 percent jump in price from 2021. The prices are now almost double that of inflation and skyrocketed thirteen times faster than they had in the seven years before 2021.
The data showed that the energy index rose by 1.1 percent in March following a 2.3 percent increase in February. Despite the Federal Reserve holding interest rates steady since July 2023, inflation continues to pose a problem for policymakers and households.
“There is no improvement here, we’re moving in the wrong direction,” said Bankrate Chief Financial Analyst Greg McBride in an interview with Fox Business. “The usual trouble spots persist, like shelter, motor vehicle insurance, maintenance, repairs and service costs. Add electricity to that list, up 0.9 percent in March and five percent over the past year.”
Part of the reason for the surge in energy prices is due to the push to replace fossil fuels and nuclear power plants with renewable subsidies and green-energy mandates.
Gasoline prices also continue to hit American pocketbooks hard. Though prices have fallen off their peak from 2022, the cost of gasoline remains 52.1 percent higher than it was when Biden first took office. The gasoline and electricity index also increased in March, climbing 1.7 percent and 0.9 percent, respectively.
The Biden government has depleted much of the Strategic Petroleum Reserve in an effort to bring down gasoline costs. However, the relief has only been temporary, with prices again starting to rise across the country. Moreover, the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reported that the energy index jumped 2.1 percent.
Hellbound and Down 