A report analyzing the increase in residential electricity prices in 12 states revealed that North Carolina saw the largest increase since January 2025, reaching nearly 30% in April 2026.
Although the average monthly electricity bill in the state was $128.60 in May 2026, just 1.9% higher than a year earlier, the cumulative increase in electricity rates over the past year and a half has been the highest among the states included in the analysis.
El recent report Americans for Tax Fairness and Climate Power in Action also found that Latino families living in the United States (just over 16 million households) are greatly affected by the increase in public services, amid high temperatures and pressure on the family budget.
Latino households are twice as likely to experience energy insecurity
The 2026 report highlights that Latino households in the country are almost twice as likely as white households to experience energy insecurity, meaning they have difficulty paying their electricity bills or maintaining a safe temperature in their homes.
In 2024, according to Census dataThe report found that 50% of Latino households (8 out of 16 million households) experienced some form of energy insecurity, compared to 26% of white households.
Furthermore, the analysis found that in that same year, around 41% of Latino households reported having reduced or eliminated food or medicine to pay their utility bills, and 19% reported having received a disconnection notice.
In addition, they allocated about 20% more of their income to paying for public services.
The heat exacerbates the economic burden
During the virtual presentation of the report, Antonieta Cádiz, executive director of Climate Power En Acción, pointed out that many Latino families face difficult decisions to meet their basic needs.
“Nearly three out of every ten Latino households in the United States, some 4.6 million families, face a high energy burden. More than a third of Latino households say they have cut back on food, medicine, or other basic necessities just to keep the lights on,” Cádiz stated.
He also noted that 14% of Latino households do not have air conditioning, a particularly worrying situation during one of the hottest summers on record in the nation.
According to Pablo Willis, Director of Communications and Latino Outreach at Americans for Tax Fairness, the increase in electricity bills This is in addition to other essential expenses.
“While Latinos and other taxpayers see their utility bills rise, so do the costs of education, health, and food,” he noted.
Millions in tax breaks for energy companies and their executives
The study argues that the increase in energy costs coincides with tax benefits granted to large electric companies and their executives, a contrast that the authors consider relevant to understanding the economic impact on consumers.
Between 2023 and 2025, the chief executives of 21 electric utility companies received approximately $26.4 million in tax benefits linked to the 2017 tax law. Meanwhile, their chief executive officers collectively received $997.5 million in compensation.
The report indicates that Duke Energy, one of the main companies that provide service in North Carolina, recorded approximately $10.757 billion in dividends and stock buybacks between 2023 and 2025.
During that same period, the compensation of its top executives exceeded $51.2 million, including an estimated $1.35 million in benefits derived from the 2017 tax cuts.
According to the report, the company reported an effective federal tax rate of -10.2% in 2025.
“Latino families aren’t asking for charity. We’re asking for a system that stops taking from those of us who have less to give to those who have more,” Cádiz said.
Public Utility Costs and Corporate Responsibility Report
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