A Consumer Reports nationally representative survey of 2,146 US adults in November 2025 examined Americans’ experiences with rising utility bills and their views on the potential effect of data centers and artificial intelligence (AI) on energy prices.
A total of 68% of Americans said their household finances were strained to some degree by their home energy costs including electricity and natural gas. Nearly a quarter (23%) said their finances were strained a lot.
When asked about drivers of their rising home energy costs, the top 5 elements Americans thought contributed were:
- Utility companies’ profits (49%)
- Costs to repair and upgrade energy systems and infrastructure (38%)
- Increased energy demand from data centers and artificial intelligence systems (37%)
- Frequent changes in the prices of fossil fuels like coal or natural gas (34%)
- Costs from extreme weather and wildfires (33%)
“Rising energy costs are yet another factor straining household budgets,” said Chris Harto, manager, sustainability advocacy at Consumer Reports. “While the drivers of increasing costs vary across the country, Americans universally want utilities, regulators, and lawmakers to put affordability first.”
When specifically asked about the impact of data centers, 78% of Americans reported being at least somewhat concerned that their household’s energy bills would increase because of new data centers being built across the country.
“Americans are concerned about their rising energy bills and the potential effects that the rapid buildout of data centers for AI may have on them,” said Harto. “While many large tech companies have pledged to ‘pay their own way,’ those commitments often lack transparency, accountability, and meaningful mechanisms to protect consumers from higher costs, all of which are vital for building public trust.”
Consumer Reports is collecting stories from Americans around the country about how data centers are affecting their communities and energy bills, as part of its ongoing investigation into the drivers of rising utility costs.
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Media Contact: Emily Akpan, emily.akpan@consumer.org