American Air Conditioning Costs Soar
As heat races across America, mostly from the West to the East, air conditioning use should soar in 100-degree F weather. It has. According to a new study, the expense of running residential AC has gone up 8% to $719. That number is too low in some cities. It was over 110 degrees F in Las Vegas and Phoenix recently.
The $719 figure comes from the National Energy Assistance Directors Association (NEADA) and the Center for Energy Poverty and Climate (CEPC). Of the sample of the impoverished, 20% have no AC at all, which can lead to severe health outcomes.
AC Bills Spike
As might be expected, air conditioning costs in the hottest cities are higher than in the rest of the country. The average electricity bill in a 1,000-square-foot apartment has been as high as $180 a month, or about $2,000 yearly. In part of Nevada, the number is closer, well over $200.
The challenge will be that these costs will continue to surge as the weather gets hotter for extended periods. These bills will be impossible for the poor, and the middle class will experience financial strain.
Most conversations about electricity when temperatures surge concern whether the grid can handle the load or whether there will be blackouts. California has the most expensive electricity in America. That conversation has turned to whether people can afford to cool their homes, no matter what infrastructure challenges exist.
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