1. United States
2. Wash.
3. Letter

Every month, our utility bills are getting higher. Electricity and gas prices are now the fastest-rising costs in the country, and unlike with other expenses, most Americans don’t get to shop around for cheaper prices. Utility companies are a monopoly—you pay what they charge or you lose power.  Households all across the country are struggling to keep up with these soaring prices, with 80% of Americans feeling powerless over how much they’re being charged for utilities. People are cutting back on other expenses or even taking out loans to keep the lights on, while for-profit utility companies have pocketed over $200 billion in profits since 2021.  And your bill isn’t just covering the cost of the electricity you used. Utility companies routinely charge customers for their lobbying efforts, brand advertising, and even projects like building new power plants to support AI data centers.  Electricity is a basic necessity, and our elected officials have an obligation to ensure that everyone has access to fair and affordable energy.  Why is this important? Utility companies requested nearly $31 billion in rate increases in 2025, more than double the year before. And there’s no end in sight. It’s estimated that utility rate increases will cost American consumers an additional $93 billion through 2027. In most of the country, the regulators overseeing utility rates often have no real power to say no. Because there's no competition, no alternative providers customers can switch to, regulators are frequently left with no choice but to approve whatever rate increase utility companies request. Meanwhile, utility CEOs collectively pocketed $626 million last year, nearly $100 million more than the year before. The system is designed to let utility companies keep massive amounts of profits while passing all costs and risk on to you.  Some Democratic-led states have started putting measures in place to protect consumers, passing laws to stop utility companies from billing customers for lobbying and political spending. But most Americans don’t have those protections. We need federal regulations that cover everyone. Our elected leaders have a responsibility to protect their constituents from this unethical price gouging. Specifically, we’re calling on Congress to: • Establish a federal standard for just and reasonable rate increases that protects consumers from excessive rate hikes by for-profit utility companies • Stop utility corporations from passing lobbying costs, corporate fines, executive expenses, and advertising costs on to their customers • Require utility corporations to prioritize cost-saving efficiency investments over new capital investments that inflate their profits at ratepayers' expense No one should have to worry about whether they'll be able to keep the lights on or heat their home in the winter. Sign the petition and demand Congress ensure fair and affordable energy prices now.