Trump blames Biden for high electricity prices to gain political edge

Former President Donald Trump criticizes President Joe Biden for rising electricity costs, leveraging it as a campaign issue.

Brian Dabbs and Jeffrey Tomich report for E&E News.

In short:

• Trump vows to reduce energy prices and blames Democrats for the current high costs.
• Republicans criticize Biden’s climate policies, linking them to a 20% rise in electricity prices since 2020.
• Experts say short-term electricity prices are more influenced by state regulators and natural gas prices than federal policies.

Key quote:

“They could say we’re just going all in on fossil fuels and to hell with the carbon emissions. That would probably have some effect but relatively small.”

— Severin Borenstein, professor at the Haas School of Business at the University of California, Berkeley

Why this matters:

Electricity prices are becoming a significant political issue, with Republicans using them to attack Democratic climate policies. As energy costs rise, voters may become more concerned about the economic impact of these policies.

Be sure to read EHN’s piece:

• How utilities’ fossil fuel investments are driving up rates for the most vulnerable