Power bills and data centres cast rare spotlight on utilities in US midterms

US electricity prices had flown under the radar in past national elections, but they have become a major political issue in this year’s midterms as Americans grow angry over rising utility bills and deals for power-hungry data centres. Nationwide, according to Energy Information Administration data, electricity prices for homes have risen more than 10 per cent since 2024, when President Donald Trump was elected along with Republican majorities in both houses of the US Congress. Higher electricity prices have outpaced the rise in costs for other goods and services. Power bills have grown even…