Summer air conditioning bills expected to climb 8.5% in Ohio, nationwide
New report shows Ohio households will pay about $30 more to cool homes this summer as nationwide air conditioning costs climb 8.5% amid rising electric prices.
COLUMBUS, OHIO — Ohio residents preparing for summer should brace for higher air conditioning costs, as a new national report projects cooling bills will rise significantly across the Midwest and nationwide during the coming months.
The National Energy Assistance Directors Association projects the average electricity cost to cool homes between June and September will reach $778 this summer. That represents a $61 increase, or 8.5% jump, from last year and nearly 37% higher than costs in 2020.
The association, which represents state employees administering federal energy assistance programs, attributes the increase to warmer temperatures and higher electric prices affecting households nationwide.
Rising Costs Squeeze Families
“Families are squeezed from both directions,” Mark Wolfe, the association’s executive director, said in a news release. “They are paying more for electricity, and they need more of it to stay safe during increasingly hot summers.”
Midwestern states including Ohio are expected to see summer cooling costs increase by about $30 per household this year. The projections show a more pronounced impact in the South due to higher temperatures and widespread air conditioning usage.
South Atlantic states from Delaware to Florida are expected to see average cooling bills rise by more than $100 between June and September compared with last year, according to the report.
Energy Debt Crisis Deepens
The rising costs come as American households already struggle with energy affordability. One in six American households are behind on energy bills, with total utility debt expected to reach approximately $23 billion by the end of the year, the association reported.
Home energy costs have risen by more than double the rate of inflation, prompting the group to urge Congress to appropriate billions more in energy assistance funding. The summer projections follow a winter season that already brought costly heating bills to consumers across Ohio and other states.
State lawmakers of both parties are increasingly scrutinizing rising electricity bills, though little relief has materialized for residents facing mounting utility costs. The energy assistance association’s projections highlight the ongoing financial pressure on households as they transition from expensive winter heating to costly summer cooling.
