How deregulation made electricity more expensive, not cheaper

Photo credit: Mike DelGaudio via Flickr. CC BY 2.0. Article by Noah Dormady. The Conversation – February 18, 2026.

American families are feeling the pinch of rising electricity prices. In the past five years alone, the generation portion of the standard service residential electric bill in Columbus, Ohio, has increased by 110%. This is one data point in a national trend. Energy affordability is quickly shaping up to be a key election issue at all levels of American politics. And more than half of U.S. adults surveyed in January 2026 reported being very concerned about the price of electricity. Experts in the energy industry are fiercely conflicted on what, or who, is to blame. […]

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