US Power Prices Climb 61% Faster Than Inflation

Wednesday, May 13, 2026

Consumer prices climbed last month by the most in three years, but prices for electricity surged even more, highlighting an intensifying battle between utilities, consumers and power grids. Electricity prices jumped 6.1% last month compared to a year earlier, according to Bureau of Labor Statistics data published on Tuesday.

Posted by qcp at 02:31 PM | 51 COMMENTS | permalink | Comment on This Entry |

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All this winning is becoming toxic.

#1 | Posted by fresno500 at 2026-05-12 05:53 PM | Reply

Trump doesn't have to explain this, do something about it, or even apologize for it.

In fact, he's done none of these things and never will.

He's going to skip to what he considers the chase, attempt some form of coup and, if successful, outlaw statements of fact that shows how bad he effs up.

#2 | Posted by Zed at 2026-05-12 06:58 PM | Reply

The nefarious Trumpf junta and the oligarchs pushed the expenses to power their mega-AI data centers down to the masses.

#3 | Posted by C0RI0LANUS at 2026-05-12 10:29 PM | Reply

Well yeah?

You peons should be thankful you're subsidizing the billionaires utility bills.

How will they afford their next mega yacht if they have to pay for what they take?

Ungrateful serfs.

#4 | Posted by Nixon at 2026-05-13 06:53 AM | Reply

This massive grifting will never end until we bring out the guillotines and gallows.

#5 | Posted by Wildman62 at 2026-05-13 02:47 PM | Reply

Trump and republicans turned America into a -------- nation.

MAGA?

#6 | Posted by ClownShack at 2026-05-13 03:19 PM | Reply

Does anyone think utility prices come down again once they've gone up. It almost never happens.

#7 | Posted by Whatsleft at 2026-05-13 03:33 PM | Reply

Not without a government that represents the people.

#8 | Posted by ClownShack at 2026-05-13 03:39 PM | Reply

Good news from Okiehomie: the state has approx. 12,000Mw of generating capability in the form of wind power, and the ability to develop another 9,000Nw. The state already generates enough to power the entire state, and collectively its wind turbines generate enough power to run the city of Chicago.

This is just another situation where Der Dotard's administration and personal proclivities are pointed in the direction opposite of what this country needs and what it can do to better the lives of Americans. Removing subsidies for EV's, getting in the way of the development of alternative power generation and consciously raising electric prices for consumers is no way to make America greater. Let's just hope that in the short term the MAGA crowd takes the brunt of energy cost increases, because that's what they voted for...

#9 | Posted by catdog at 2026-05-13 03:41 PM | Reply

Thank the data centers.

They (the people) should be grateful they even get power.

49,000 Lake Tahoe residents have a year to find a new sources as their power is being shifted to data centers.

fortune.com

#10 | Posted by bat4255 at 2026-05-13 04:00 PM | Reply

Gas prices suck right now. A few weeks ago I picked up a daily driver that requires premium unleaded. Ugh!

#11 | Posted by BellRinger at 2026-05-14 12:50 AM | Reply

... Consumer prices climbed last month by the most in three years, but prices for electricity surged even more, highlighting an intensifying battle between utilities, consumers and power grids. ...

A huge issue for the power grids is how to handle the extreme power load that AI data cetners are presenting and will be presenting.

Biggest US Grid May Be Too Large to Function, Regulator Says
www.bloomberg.com

... The chairman of the top US energy regulator has put America's biggest power grid on notice, warning that its operator may be too big to function adequately amid the AI data center boom.

Laura Swett, who oversees the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, said Tuesday she fears that PJM Interconnection LLC's struggle to address the voracious power needs from data centers threatens the country's artificial intelligence ambitions. ...

#12 | Posted by LampLighter at 2026-05-14 01:03 AM | Reply

Gas prices suck right now. A few weeks ago I picked up a daily driver that requires premium unleaded. Ugh!

Posted by BellRinger at 2026-05-14 12:50 AM | Reply

You voted for this. Stop crying.

#13 | Posted by LauraMohr at 2026-05-14 01:16 AM | Reply | Newsworthy 5

!@13 ... Stop crying. ...

Surely you jest.

All MAGA seems to know how to do is whine, cry and play the victim.

#14 | Posted by LampLighter at 2026-05-14 01:31 AM | Reply | Newsworthy 3

Gas prices suck right now. A few weeks ago I picked up a daily driver that requires premium unleaded. Ugh!

#11 | Posted by BellRinger

Maybe you should have thought harder about voting for the orange s*&^bag, eh?

#15 | Posted by jpw at 2026-05-14 01:46 AM | Reply | Newsworthy 1

Gas prices suck right now. A few weeks ago I picked up a daily driver that requires premium unleaded. Ugh!

#11 | Posted by BellRinger

You previously told us you drive a Tesla Model S or something ...

Gas prices shouldn't affect you, right?

#16 | Posted by AMERICANUNITY at 2026-05-14 02:09 AM | Reply | Newsworthy 1

#16

Jeff caught lying? Again?

via GIPHY

#17 | Posted by Nixon at 2026-05-14 10:02 AM | Reply | Funny: 2

" You previously told us you drive a Tesla Model S or something ...

Gas prices shouldn't affect you, right?

#16 | POSTED BY AMERICANUNITY AT 2026-05-14 02:09 AM | FLAG: "

Not me. I've never owned an EV. I'm just lamenting the timing of my purchase. I haven't seen prices this high since Biden's term when inflation skyrocketed. But that lasted a bit less than a year if memory serves. Hopefully, prices will go back down sooner rather than later.

#18 | Posted by BellRinger at 2026-05-14 10:52 AM | Reply

Hopefully, prices will go back down sooner rather than later.
#18 | Posted by BellRinger

Why would you hope for that?
If that happens, it means Iran won.

#19 | Posted by snoofy at 2026-05-14 10:54 AM | Reply

You bought a premium gas car months into a war with Iran with no victory condition and no off-ramo in sight.

Why would Obama do this to us?

#20 | Posted by snoofy at 2026-05-14 10:58 AM | Reply

Stop calling them data centers. They're surveillance centers.

#21 | Posted by lee_the_agent at 2026-05-14 11:24 AM | Reply | Newsworthy 5

" I haven't seen prices this high since Biden's term when inflation skyrocketed."

I believe you mean "since COVID when inflation skyrocketed." and if your boy had done more to prevent the spread there would have been fewer deaths and in all likelihood a reduced affect on inflation.

#22 | Posted by justagirl_idaho at 2026-05-14 11:25 AM | Reply | Newsworthy 2

#22. Relax. I wasn't criticizing Biden, just noting when it happened.

#23 | Posted by BellRinger at 2026-05-14 11:45 AM | Reply | Funny: 3

"I wasn't criticizing Biden"

Riiiiiight.

You also weren't admitting inflation would've been WORSE under Trump.

It's widely accepted the third stimulus was unneeded, and in large part the driver of the inflation.

Trump wanted the third stimulus to be 42% higher. Inflation would have been worse under Trump.

Go ahead ... You can say it.

#24 | Posted by Danforth at 2026-05-14 11:51 AM | Reply | Newsworthy 1

#23 | Posted by BellRinger

There is plenty to criticize, just be real about it. You cover for Trump every chance you get.

#25 | Posted by justagirl_idaho at 2026-05-14 12:07 PM | Reply | Newsworthy 1

" You cover for Trump every chance you get.

#25 | POSTED BY JUSTAGIRL_IDAHO AT 2026-05-14 12:07 PM | FLAG: "

Really? What has been my take on his tariffs, both the unilateral way in which they were implemented and their effect on the economy?

#26 | Posted by BellRinger at 2026-05-14 12:15 PM | Reply

#26 | Posted by BellRinger

I said "every chance you get", you have no choice but to acknowledge the things you cant blame on Biden. I wont debate you, you and everyone else here knows your posting history. If you can point at Biden or Obama instead of Trump you do it every single time.

#27 | Posted by justagirl_idaho at 2026-05-14 12:39 PM | Reply | Newsworthy 2

So I cover for him every chance I get until I don't. Got it!

#28 | Posted by BellRinger at 2026-05-14 12:44 PM | Reply

Mr. constitutional scholar also ignores trumps obvious lawfare.

#29 | Posted by Alexandrite at 2026-05-14 12:45 PM | Reply | Newsworthy 2

So I cover for him every chance I get until I don't. Got it!

#28 | Posted by BellRinger at 2026-05-14 12:44 PM | Reply | Flag:

Dude, you voted for trump in 2024 then lied about it for three months. No one here believes anything you post.

#30 | Posted by Alexandrite at 2026-05-14 12:46 PM | Reply | Newsworthy 2

So I cover for him every chance I get until I cant. Posted by BellRinger

Fixed it for you ^_^ Have a nice day!

#31 | Posted by justagirl_idaho at 2026-05-14 12:47 PM | Reply | Newsworthy 3

As far as I am concerned Dingaling joined the ranks of the "Unforgiven" years ago.

#32 | Posted by donnerboy at 2026-05-14 12:53 PM | Reply

Stop calling them data centers. They're surveillance centers.

#21 | Posted by lee_the_agent at 2026-05-14 11:24 AM | Reply | Flag

That is EXACTLY what they are. Our personal information.

#33 | Posted by Alexandrite at 2026-05-14 12:55 PM | Reply | Newsworthy 1

#31. Well played.

#34 | Posted by BellRinger at 2026-05-14 12:56 PM | Reply

What has been my take on his tariffs, both the unilateral way in which they were implemented and their effect on the economy?
#26 | Posted by BellRinger

Imagine someone buying a car that takes premium fuel during Trump's oil war that has raseid gas prices 50% this year.

What would you say that person's take is?

They don't have a take. Their take is ignoring the war that Trump started.

#35 | Posted by snoofy at 2026-05-14 01:21 PM | Reply | Newsworthy 1

Bet you wish you had a Prius and some solar panels on yer houses now you coal rolling Mother Truckers.

#36 | Posted by donnerboy at 2026-05-14 04:32 PM | Reply | Newsworthy 1

#36. I'll take my car over a Prius any day. I've got nothing against the Prius, it's an engineering marvel. My car is much more fun to drive.

#37 | Posted by BellRinger at 2026-05-15 11:49 AM | Reply

My car is much more fun to drive.

#37 | POSTED BY BELLRINGER

To each his own.

If I want fun I'll take the Harley.

When in my Prius I enjoy driving PAST the gas pumps.

Sometimes I just pull in and look at the ridiculous prices then just drive away laughing.

It's so much fun!

#38 | Posted by donnerboy at 2026-05-15 12:16 PM | Reply

I think the Prius makes much more sense than an EV. My car gets decent mileage as it's not a heavy car at all. However, a 305 HP engine is never going to be terribly efficient.

#39 | Posted by BellRinger at 2026-05-15 12:33 PM | Reply

You cover for Trump every chance you get.

#25 | Posted by justagirl_idaho

And deflect and deny and downplay.

#40 | Posted by jpw at 2026-05-15 12:57 PM | Reply | Newsworthy 1

So I cover for him every chance I get until I don't. Got it!

#28 | Posted by BellRinger

Your shtick is well known at this point, pedoringer.

When the administration proposes an idea or something happens the first time, you give a mealy mouthed "disagreement."

You then later support every instance of it happening with some vague cop out on why it's really not that bad.

You do it constantly and have been called out for it repeatedly.

#41 | Posted by jpw at 2026-05-15 12:59 PM | Reply | Newsworthy 1

My car is much more fun to drive.

#37 | Posted by BellRinger

The problem with out electorate in a nutshell.

You realize the world you're handing off to your children's generation is a pile of s*&^ because of your self-absorbed, indulgent shortsighted stupidity, right?

#42 | Posted by jpw at 2026-05-15 01:01 PM | Reply | Newsworthy 1

#38 Donnerboy says, "Sometimes I just pull in and look at the ridiculous prices then just drive away laughing.

"It's so much fun!"

Not too long ago, my bride and I stopped at the filling station to top off the tank before hitting the road.

A Lambo Huracan pulled in to the pump and Mrs. A_Friend asked, "What kind of car is that?"

I told her, and then I mentioned that Lamborghinis can pass anything and everything on the road ...

...except a gas station!

#43 | Posted by A_Friend at 2026-05-15 01:51 PM | Reply

" The problem with out electorate in a nutshell.

You realize the world you're handing off to your children's generation is a pile of s*&^ because of your self-absorbed, indulgent shortsighted stupidity, right?

#42 | POSTED BY JPW AT 2026-05-15 01:01 PM | FLAG: "

Who could have guessed that owning a car with 305 HP (not a ton by today's standards) would destroy all of our children's future.

Do you have any idea how raetarded you sound?

#44 | Posted by BellRinger at 2026-05-15 01:55 PM | Reply

When in my Prius I enjoy driving PAST the gas pumps.
~ DonorBot

IQ test donorbot.

My Truck, an F-250 diesel gets almost one-third the gas mileage of my Prius.

If I take my Truck to work, I fill up Saturday and need to refill it the following Saturday.

If I take my Prius to work when will I need to fill it up again?

1. Next Wednesday.
2. Next Saturday.
3. Two Saturdays later
4. Three Saturdays later.

In your vernacular, did I pass more, less or the same number of gas stations? Because this is basically what you said.

bonus question: My friend A_Moron said gas prices don't affect him because it always costs $20, is this a true or false statement?

#45 | Posted by oneironaut at 2026-05-15 01:59 PM | Reply

You realize the world you're handing off to your children's generation is a pile of s*&^ because of your self-absorbed, indulgent shortsighted stupidity, right?
#42 | POSTED BY JPW

The US debt will get them before the "environment" issue.

#46 | Posted by oneironaut at 2026-05-15 02:00 PM | Reply

Finally saw that yt short featuring 1Nut:

www.youtube.com

#47 | Posted by Corky at 2026-05-15 02:04 PM | Reply | Newsworthy 1

The US debt will get them before the "environment" issue.

#46 | Posted by oneironaut

And which party is worse for US debt?

#48 | Posted by SpeakSoftly at 2026-05-15 02:04 PM | Reply | Newsworthy 2

Hint - it's the same one that's worse for the environment.

#49 | Posted by SpeakSoftly at 2026-05-15 02:05 PM | Reply | Newsworthy 2

#45 onepigheadedsmoothbrainaut lies when s/he says, "bonus question: My friend A_Moron said gas prices don't affect him because it always costs $20, is this a true or false statement?"

Never said or intimated that. Ever.

Plus, "it always costs $20" doesn't make any sense whatsoever. What "always costs $20" ? ? ? ?

And, since Corky was kind enough to suggest the actual YouTube featuring the Retort's very own onepigheadedsmoothbrainaut:

www.youtube.com</a>" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen>

#50 | Posted by A_Friend at 2026-05-15 02:14 PM | Reply

- My Truck, an F-250 diesel

Dangerous choice when he can't see over the steering wheel!

#51 | Posted by Corky at 2026-05-15 02:40 PM | Reply | Funny: 1