The Energy Bills Relief Act is a real solution for rising costs 

WASHINGTON – Rising energy costs continue to strain families’ budgets in the South and across the nation, but a new effort was introduced in Congress today to provide real solutions.  

SELC supports the Energy Bills Relief Act introduced by 120 House lawmakers led by Representatives Sean Casten (D-IL06) and Mike Levin (D-CA49). This bill is a package of critical energy reforms that put consumers over profits and would deliver benefits in the South and nationwide.  

Residential electricity rates went up over 7% on average nationwide in 2025 with some states experiencing even higher hikes. Millions of families across the country are struggling to keep up. With projected load growth and increasing strain on an aging grid due to data centers, costs are projected to keep rising. The Energy Bills Relief Act addresses these challenges head-on. 

This bill would: 

• Drive down household energy costs by unclogging the clean energy bottleneck, bolstering American supply chains, and restoring policies that expand access to affordable power. 

• Promote common sense energy efficiency and weatherization programs to reduce overall energy use and help customers control their energy bills.  

• Make our electricity grid more reliable and resilient to damage from extreme weather, helping to reduce power outages.  

The following statement can be attributed to SELC Director of Federal Affairs Nat Mund:  

“SELC stands with the hardworking families who are demanding cheaper, cleaner energy—not the false solutions pushed by the Trump Administration at the behest of the fossil fuel industry. As energy bills continue to rise and data center demand threatens to push them even higher, we hope Congress will act quickly to pass these commonsense measures to keep costs down for people in the South and across the country.”